Assessing patient satisfaction, trust, commitment, loyalty and doctors’ reputation towards doctor services

Objective: There is growing realization that it is important for health care organizations to provide a quality service in order to keep patients from shifting to other doctors. This study aims to examine the relationship between patient satisfaction, patient trust, patient commitment, patient loyalty and doctors’ reputation with doctor services. Methodology: 200 sets of questionnaires were distributed to regular public patients of the government hospital and clinics, as well as private clinics in The Federal Territory of Labuan, Malaysia. Data were then analyzed using the Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) procedure. Results: Patient commitment directly and positively affects patient loyalty to a doctor (β1 = 0.833, p 0.05). Patient trust directly and positively affects patient commitment to a doctor (β2 = 0.800, p 0.05). Patient satisfaction (β3 = 0.409, p 0.05) and a doctor’s reputation (β4 = 0.422, p 0.05) directly and positively affects patient trust in a doctor. Doctor reputation directly and positively affects patient satisfaction with the doctor (β5 = 0.891, p 0.05). Conclusion: The findings verified the research hypotheses, and confirmed that there are relationships between patient commitment and patient loyalty and also patient trust and patient commitment to a doctor. Furthermore, patient satisfaction affected patient trust in a doctor whereas patient satisfaction and trust are affected by a doctor’s reputation. This study helps doctors and health service providers to formulate strategies and tactics that will effectively develop the loyalty of patients.