Examining the effect of perceived service quality of health care delivery in Ghana on behavioural intentions of patients: The mediating role of customer satisfaction

The purpose of this study was to examine the mediating role of patients’ satisfaction in the relationship between perceived service quality (PSQ) and behavioural intentions. Data were collected from 178 patients selected from 35 health facilities in Ashanti Region of Ghana. A structural equation modelling technique was employed in estimating the proposed model using LISREL 8.5 and inter-construct correlation conducted in SPSS 16.0 to preview the associations among main constructs. Perceive service quality was positively and significantly related to both patients’ satisfaction and behaviour intentions which was also influenced by patient satisfaction in healthcare. The study confirmed the mediating role of satisfaction in the link between PSQ and behaviour intentions in healthcare. Based on these findings, it was suggested that, hospital managers must design patient-centered strategies to meet clients’ expectation and emphasizing both the technical and functional competence of the service providers to better serve their customers. The study has contributed to the literature by establishing the direct effect of service quality on behaviour intentions among patients and also establishing the indirect effect of service quality on behaviour intentions of patients through customer satisfaction.