How does a hospital servicescape impact the well-being and satisfaction of both health care customers and professionals?
ISSN: 0887-6045
Article publication date: 20 September 2023
Issue publication date: 21 November 2023
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this study is to examine how servicescapes impact well-being and satisfaction of both hospital customers (patients) and health care professional service providers.
Design/methodology/approach
The study investigates how a hospital servicescape impacts two critical outcomes – well-being and satisfaction – of both hospital patients (customers) and health care professionals, who are immersed in that environment.
Findings
The hospital servicescape had a greater impact on physical, psychological and existential well-being for professionals than for patients. However, the reverse was true for satisfaction. The new servicescape enhanced the satisfaction and physical and psychological well-being of professionals but only the satisfaction of customers.
Research limitations/implications
The study implications for health care policy suggest that investment in health care-built environments should balance the needs of health care professionals with those of customers to benefit their collective well-being and satisfaction.
Practical implications
Based on the findings, the authors propose that servicescape investments should focus on satisfying the physical needs of patients while also placing emphasis on the psychological needs of professionals.
Social implications
Health care spending on physical facilities should incorporate careful cost-benefit analysis, ensuring that beneficial features for both user groups are included in new hospital designs, omitting features that are less supportive of well-being.
Originality/value
To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this study is the first to compare the impact of the same real-life servicescape on the satisfaction of both customers and service providers (professionals) and considers the critical health outcome of well-being.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors gratefully acknowledge the Australian Research Council and the industry partner for providing funding to support the research. ARC Linkage Grant LP150100629 'Examining the effectiveness of co-creation practices on health outcomes.
Citation
Sweeney, J.C., Frow, P., Payne, A. and McColl-Kennedy, J.R. (2023), "How does a hospital servicescape impact the well-being and satisfaction of both health care customers and professionals?", Journal of Services Marketing, Vol. 37 No. 9, pp. 1120-1131. https://doi.org/10.1108/JSM-03-2023-0082
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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