Abstract:
Customer orientation is one of the new approaches which is recently considered by the Iranian Healthcare Centers. The present study aims to identify the main factors of customer orientation in Iranian hospitals. The study is done through analysis of a questionnaire designed after recognition of the main variables. Iranian Social Security Organization Hospitals (the major governmental health institutions in Iran) were chosen as a sample among all Iranian healthcare centers (n=48). Content validity and construct validity were assured with expert judgment and the reliability of the questionnaire was determined using Cronbach’s alpha and Pearson correlation (1st and 2nd times). Cronbach’s alpha coefficient was respectively as 0.826 and Pearson correlation was (p<0.001) 0.975. The questionnaire was filled out by the research community. After collection of sufficient samples, the exploratory and confirmatory factors were analyzed. The findings of the study showed two factors after factor analysis; namely, "consideration about customer" and "consideration about stakeholder". The calculated fitness indexes proved the desirability and appropriateness of the factors and their structural relations. It is concluded that these factors have substantial roles in the implementation of customer orientation approach in these organizations.
Machine summary:
The present study aims to identify the main factors of customer orientation in Iranian hospitals.
Although previous studies in Iran have tended to report very high levels of overall satisfaction, it can be said that factors that affect customer orientation in Iranian hospitals and other healthcare centers are not fully recognized and studied till now.
Therefore, the present research was performed with objectives such as the identification of factors affecting customer orientation in the Iranian hospitals.
The following variables formed the second factor: - Identification of customer requirements; - Determination of customer expectations; - Consideration about customer complaints; - Practical implications of customer satisfaction tests; - Identification of requirements explicitly specified by customers.
Also the findings of the research done by Gonzales (2 00 5) s t ate t h a t "con s i der a ti on of p a tien t s ’ satisfaction" is one of the most important factors which impact customer-orientation.
In this research also "patients’ satisfaction" has been recognized as the main factor of customer-orientation.
Heidegger (2006) states that main factors impacting customer orientation and qualitative results of offering medical services include "consideration of patients’ satisfaction", "recognizing their expectations and needs", and "following up their complaints.
, (2010) in their research refer to "patients’ satisfaction analysis" and "consideration of patients’ satisfaction" as the factors impacting customer-orientation.
Naidu (2009) has studied the factors impacting customer-orientation and recognized "consideration of patients’ satisfaction and their complains" as one of the main impacting factors in this regard.
Factors affecting patient satisfaction and healthcare quality.