Measuring customer perceptions of emergency facility services: a qualitative approach

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Marketing Science

Background:

• Hospitals face challenges in increasing demand for emergency services.
• Understanding patient perceptions is crucial for effective marketing strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify problems encountered by a hospital seeking to increase emergency service demand.
• To explore patient perceptions of hospital emergency services.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative research technique employed.
• Telephone survey of 450 affluent, well-educated suburban residents.
• Assessed perceptions of six major facilities, including service quality, staff, and facility attributes.

Main Results:

• Sociological, psychological, environmental, and situational factors influence attitudes towards hospital emergency services.
• Respondents showed uncertainty regarding their attitudes and varied opinions on service desirability.
• Perceptions of actual and preferred facility use by injury type were examined.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare providers must recognize diverse patient perceptions.
• Marketing strategies should be adapted to emphasize competitive advantages.
• Adoption of the marketing concept and qualitative research techniques is recommended for hospitals.