The influence of soft and hard TQM on quality performance and patient satisfaction in health care: investigating direct and indirect effects

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rasha Zuhair Alkhaldi ◽  
Ayman Bahjat Abdallah

PurposeThe present study conceptualizes total quality management (TQM) in terms of soft and hard aspects and examines their effects on quality performance and patient satisfaction. The indirect effects of soft and hard TQM on patient satisfaction through quality performance are also investigated.Design/methodology/approachA multi-item questionnaire was prepared to gather primary data from a sample of 312 medical employees in private hospitals in Jordan. The measurement model was evaluated for validity and reliability and determined to be acceptable. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was applied to test the research hypotheses.FindingsThe results revealed that soft TQM has a strong positive effect on quality performance and patient satisfaction. Hard TQM was found to positively affect quality performance but to a lesser extent compared to soft TQM. The effect of hard TQM on patient satisfaction, meanwhile, was not significant. Quality performance positively mediated the relationship between TQM – both soft and hard – and patient satisfaction.Originality/valueThis study is one of the first to conceptualize TQM in terms of soft and hard aspects in a health care context. It offers valuable insights for managers of private hospitals looking to enhance quality performance and patient satisfaction. The results reveal that soft TQM is the primary driver of quality performance and patient satisfaction in the health care context, which is in stark contrast to the manufacturing sector.

Author(s):  
Rasha Zuhair Alkhaldi ◽  
Ayman Bahjat Abdallah

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to examine the impact of lean management (LM) on operational performance (OP) in the context of health care in Jordanian private hospitals. LM is measured using four bundles: total quality management (TQM), human resource management (HRM), just-in-time system (JIT) and total productive maintenance (TPM). The study also investigates the effects of OP dimensions on hospitals’ business performance (BP). Design/methodology/approach The study is based on survey data collected from 260 respondents from 25 private hospitals in Jordan. Validity and reliability analyses were performed using SPSS and Amos, and the study hypotheses were tested using structural equation modeling. Findings The study found that the TQM bundle affects quality performance positively, but does not affect efficiency and accessibility performances, while the HRM bundle positively affects all OP dimensions. Furthermore, the JIT bundle positively contributes to both efficiency and accessibility performances, while the TPM bundle positively influences quality and accessibility performances. Moreover, the results have demonstrated that OP dimensions of quality and accessibility significantly and positively affect hospitals’ BP. Originality/value This study is one of the first to adapt the four lean bundles popularized in the manufacturing sector and apply them in a health-care context. It examines the effects of the four lean bundles on hospitals’ OP in terms of efficiency, quality and accessibility. In addition, the study demonstrates the role of OP dimensions in improving private hospitals’ BP.


2014 ◽  
Vol 31 (7) ◽  
pp. 822-840 ◽  
Author(s):  
Young Sik Cho ◽  
Joo Y. Jung

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to verify the universal applicability of total quality management (TQM) across national boundaries. Specifically, the authors examined the validity of the isomorphic nature of TQM leadership style by comparing survey samples from both USA-based firms (n=112) and China-based firms (n=121). Design/methodology/approach – The authors collected the primary data through a survey research method. Confirmatory factor analysis (CFA) and structural equation modeling (SEM) were adopted to test the hypothesized research model. Findings – The study results did not support the universality of TQM practices. For example, the results reveal that in the USA-based firms, transformational leadership has a more significant positive influence on TQM practices, while in the China-based firms, transactional leadership has a more significant positive impact on TQM practices. Originality/value – Most of the existing literature on TQM assumed that the most effective TQM leadership style would be universal across organizational or international boundaries. However, our findings imply that the effective leadership style for successful implementation of TQM practices could be contingent on the cultural background embedded within the firms. Therefore, the authors anticipate the findings of the study will guide future research on TQM and create a new path to find solutions not only for optimizing the successful implementation of TQM, but also for minimizing the current high level of TQM failures.


2016 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 478-497 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aygül Turan ◽  
Tuba Bozaykut-Bük

Purpose Through the lens of a total quality management approach, this paper aims to examine the effects of health-care service quality on patient satisfaction, repatronage intention (RI) and positive word-of mouth (PWOM) at a public hospital specialized in women and children’s diseases. The contribution is to measure and compare patient expectations and perceptions related to the public health service quality. Design/methodology/approach A structured questionnaire was distributed to in-patients who stayed at a public training and research hospital for at least three days. To analyze the relationship between variables, multiple regression analysis was used. To test the difference between expected and perceived service quality, the paired-sample t-test was used. Findings The findings provided empirical evidence that perceived service quality significantly influenced patient satisfaction, RI and PWOM. The “responsiveness and reliability” factor was found to be the most influential on patient RI and PWOM. The “tangibility” dimension had the strongest influence on patient satisfaction. Practical implications The results reveal that a reliable and responsive service, empathic personnel behaviors and appropriate tangibles are the outstanding factors for high levels of patient satisfaction, RI and PWOM. Originality/value Although the concepts of perceived service quality, patient satisfaction, RI and PWOM are explored frequently in service literature, there are few researches that focus on specialized health services for women and children’s diseases. By evaluating the service quality, it is hoped to provide an insight to health-care managers about the service quality dimensions and their relationship with patient satisfaction, RI and PWOM, specifically based on women patients.


2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 218-228 ◽  
Author(s):  
Selim Ahmed ◽  
Noor Hazilah Abd Manaf ◽  
Rafikul Islam

Purpose This study aims to measure quality performance of the Malaysian hospitals based on eight items, namely, progress of quality management, medical service cost, reduce errors in medical services, patient waiting time, reduce waste in processes, patient complaint, employee job satisfaction and patient satisfaction. Mainly, it identifies difference or conformance between public and private hospitals on quality performance. Design/methodology/approach This study distributed 1,007 self-administered survey questionnaires to the hospital staff (i.e. doctors, nurses, pharmacists and medical laboratory technologists), resulting in 438 useful responses (43.5 per cent response rate). Research data were analysed based on descriptive analysis and independent samples’ t-tests using SPSS version 23. Findings The findings of this study indicate that there are significant differences between public and private hospital staff on progress of quality improvement process, patient satisfaction and cost of the medical services. Private hospital staff believed that their hospital’s quality management process and patient satisfaction has been improved over the past years compared to public hospital. However, private hospital staff does not perceive their medical service cost has been reduced over the past years compared to public hospital. Research limitations/implications This research focused solely on quality performance of the Malaysian health sector and, thus, the results might not be applicable to other countries. Originality/value Present research findings provide guidelines for enhancing quality performance in Malaysian public and private healthcare sectors and other countries.


2014 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 126-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elyria Kemp ◽  
Ravi Jillapalli ◽  
Enrique Becerra

Purpose – Brands can imbue unique meaning to consumers, and such meaning and personal experience with a brand can create an emotional connection and relationship between the consumer and the brand. Just as many service providers have adopted branding strategies, marketers are branding the health care service experience. Health care is an intimate service experience and emotions play an integral role in health care decision making. The purpose of this paper is to examine how emotional or affect-based consumer brand relationships are developed for health care organizations. Design/methodology/approach – Empirical evidence from both depth interviews and data garnered from 322 surveys were integrated into a conceptual model. The model was tested using structural equation modeling. Findings – Results indicate that trust, referent influence and corporate social responsibility are key variables in establishing affective commitment in consumer brand relationships in a health care context. Once affective commitment is achieved, consumers may come to identify with the health care provider's brand and a self-brand connection is formed. When such a phenomenon takes place, consumers can serve as advocates for the brand by actively promoting it via word-of-mouth. Practical implications – The findings provide insight for marketing managers in developing successful branding strategies for health care organizations. Originality/value – This research examines the advantages of cultivating meaningful brand connections and relationships with consumers in a health care context.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kwabena G. Boakye ◽  
Hong Qin ◽  
Charles Blankson ◽  
Mark D. Hanna ◽  
Victor R. Prybutok

Purpose The purpose of this study is to explore the direct and indirect effects of perceived provider professionalism and service recovery in enhancing patient satisfaction in a developing country. Design/methodology/approach This study used a survey method to investigate satisfaction among health-care consumers. This study used data collected from 210 health-care consumers to empirically test the hypotheses via structural equation modeling Findings This study found that service recovery has a significant direct effect on patient satisfaction. Though this study did not find perceived provider professionalism to have a direct effect on patient satisfaction, it found an indirect effect in the relationship via service experience. Thus, service experience fully/completely mediates the relationship between perceived provider professionalism and patient satisfaction, while partially mediating the significant relationship between service recovery and patient satisfaction. Originality/value The results further underscore the need for health-care organizations in developing countries to focus on mindfully developing operations-oriented strategies that lead to the delivery of memorable service experiences for patients.


2016 ◽  
Vol 29 (8) ◽  
pp. 877-894 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khalil Al-Hyari ◽  
Sewar Abu Hammour ◽  
Mohammad Khair Saleem Abu Zaid ◽  
Mohamed Haffar

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to study the effect of the implementation of Lean bundles on hospital performance in private hospitals in Jordan and evaluate how much the size of organization can affect the relationship between Lean bundles implementation and hospital performance. Design/methodology/approach The research is considered as quantitative method (descriptive and hypothesis testing). Three statistical techniques were adopted to analyse the data. Structural equation modeling techniques and multi-group analysis were used to examine the research’s hypothesis, and to perform the required statistical analysis of the data from the survey. Reliability analysis and confirmatory factor analysis were used to test the construct validity, reliability and measurement loadings that were performed. Findings Lean bundles have been identified as an effective approach that can dramatically improve the organizational performance of private hospitals in Jordan. Main Lean bundles – just in time, human resource management, and total quality management are applicable to large, small and medium hospitals without significant differences in advantages that depend on size. Originality/value According to the researchers’ best knowledge, this is the first research that studies the impact of Lean bundles implementation in healthcare sector in Jordan. This research also makes a significant contribution for decision makers in healthcare to increase their awareness of Lean bundles.


2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 73-87 ◽  
Author(s):  
Vinay Sharma

Purpose This paper aims to examine the major factors affecting patients’ satisfaction and loyalty at a health-care organization in India. Design/methodology/approach A conceptual model has been developed that includes the behavioural dimensions of total quality management (TQM), patient satisfaction and loyalty. This study is exploratory in nature and has used the existing literature to build the conceptual model. Findings A solution for improving the quality of health-care services can be found in the application of total relationship management and TQM, together with a customer orientation strategy. Practical implications The results can be used creatively by hospitals to re-engineer and redesign their quality management processes and reorient the future directions of their more effective health-care quality strategies. Originality/value In this research, a study is described involving a new instrument and a new method which assure a reasonable level of relevance, validity and reliability, while being explicitly change-oriented.


2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ahmed Rashad ElMelegy ◽  
Mohamad Alnajem ◽  
Nour Albuloushi

PurposeThe purpose of this study was to examine the quality performance of the Egyptian manufacturing industry based on Flynn's quality management practices framework.Design/methodology/approachA literature-based questionnaire was developed to collect the research data. The sample studied included 193 professionals from different manufacturing firms in Egypt. The research model utilized seven first-order constructs to measure infrastructure and core quality practices and the model was analyzed by structural equation modeling.FindingsThe results of the study showed that infrastructure practices had a positive effect on core quality practices, which in turn, significantly influenced quality performance. The findings confirmed that Egyptian manufacturing firms have a good foundation of quality management practices enabling them to improve quality performance.Practical implicationsThis study provides a foundation for Egyptian manufacturing firms to develop a practical plan for implementing total quality management (TQM). In addition, the results of this study will help managers and policy makers develop a thorough understanding of the current status of TQM initiatives, enablers and barriers in Egypt.Originality/valueThe study represents one of the few attempts to examine quality practices and quality performance in the manufacturing sector in Egypt. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first study to examine these parameters in this context in Egypt.


2018 ◽  
Vol 25 (3) ◽  
pp. 815-837 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sadia Samar Ali ◽  
Arati Basu ◽  
Nilesh Ware

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to understand and compare the level of patient’s expectations of healthcare services and their perceived performance. The paper also provides insights into the specific service factors and quality of hospital services which are required to meet the needs of Indian patients. Design/methodology/approach A total of 210 exit interviews were conducted using a structured questionnaire addressing the probable factors of quality related to healthcare services in a five-point Likert scale. The survey was conducted among the patients recently discharged and about to be discharged from private hospitals of Delhi and NC. A set of questionnaires is administered to collect responses on expected and perceived service qualities. Findings The paper reviews and discusses the importance of service quality for Indian patients using the SERVQUAL gap model as the measure of service quality. The results gave an overview of the perspectives of Indian patients on the quality of service in private hospitals. Patients indicated best satisfaction in some dimensions of services, namely, the tangible dimension of “hospitals provide ample parking spaces,” empathy dimension of “Doctors are never too busy to respond to my request”, assurance dimension of “I can depend on Doctor/Nurse,” and in the responsiveness dimension of “employees always communicate truly” on hospital matters. Research limitations/implications The first limitation is in the scope of sample, that is research findings are limited to Delhi. The second limitation is that the research should have been done in two parts, that is by contacting the patient before they take the services and after the service encounter. Third limitation – for a better understanding, the analysis should have been performed on the gap between the patient’s perception and the perception of the medical service provider about the customer’s perception. Practical implications This research would be beneficial to healthcare organizations to do their best to achieve greater patient satisfaction. The findings of the paper that, for all dimensions, the patient’s perception is always higher than the expectation suggests that in the Indian healthcare segment, there is a need of dissemination of information regarding the most modern medical facilities. Originality/value This current research is concluded with the suitability of a model that can be used to find the levels of patient satisfaction for healthcare services. The present study is based on primary data and offers a systematic procedure that could form the cornerstone for providing further insights into the conceptual and empirical comprehension of patients perceived service quality and its constituents. The current emergency medicine patient’s service dilemmas are a complex interaction of patients and physician factors specifically targeting efficiency and patient satisfaction. The awareness of these issues particular to the emergency patient can help to maximize efficiency, minimize subsequent medico-legal risk and improve patient care if a tailored management plan is formulated.


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