Patient Trust and Its Impact on Patient Satisfaction and Loyalty

Abstract

The condition of public health care system in Jordan become disappointing due to many reasons some of which included regional political burdens, lack of vision and guided growth, and budgetary constraints, most importantly, it functions without governance and witnessed a considerable turnover, and needs cooperation and support in providing better services to ensure that patients are satisfied and loyal. This study focuses on concerns of patient loyalty in the industry of health care, specifically from the standpoint of Jordanian public hospitals. The research tests the relationship between patient trust, patient satisfaction, and patient loyalty at public hospitals in Jordan. The survey questionnaire was gathered from 400 patients. To obtain the findings and to analyse the hypotheses, the study used partial least squares structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM). The findings indicate that patient trust has a positive direct effect on patient loyalty, and patient satisfaction mediated the relationship between patient trust and patient loyalty. There is limited research addressing these factors in Jordanian public hospitals. This study fills a gap in the existing literature and how trust within the Jordanian culture can help inform healthcare practices and policies. Also, the sample of the study consists of patients visiting public hospitals while other studies focus on outpatient clinics, and the existing literature on healthcare in Jordan has mostly focused on the perspectives of healthcare providers rather than patients. The survey results will aid public hospital administrators in developing effective strategies and will serve as a foundation for further research into patient loyalty. The findings will encourage hospital executives to pay attention to the elements that influence patient trust, patient satisfaction, and patient loyalty to sustain patient loyalty to medical facilities in the hospital.