Factors related to willingness of choosing the same hospital

입원환자의 재선택 의향과 결정요인

This study aims to measure in-patients' willingness to choose the same hospital, and to define the related factors. The willingness was measured by the fact whether in-patients would return to the same hospital for their future hospitalization and can be said as the essence of ascertaining patients' satisfaction. Data was collected from 236 patients hospitalized in two hospitals selected according to its superiority, one being superior in medical technique, the other being superior in facility and equipment. To enhance the comparability between the two hospitals, the department and the diagnosis were matched, and structured questionnaires were self-fill-up. The main findings are as follows. Hospitals were analyzed by their superiority : medical services, facility and equipment. In case of hospitals with superior medical services, the willingness was proportional to positive doctor-patient relationship, to satisfaction with the medical level, and to the acknowledgement of utility in cure. In case of hospitals with superior facility and equipment, the willingness was proportional to the satisfactory state of overall facility. Two types of hospitals were combined and analyzed. The willingness for choosing hospitals with superior medical services was stronger than that for choosing the other hospitals. The satisfaction with overall facility, satisfaction with medical level, acknowledgement of utility in cure, positive doctor-patient relationship, and better consultation produced higher willingness to choose the same hospital. The willingness for the option shows to what degree the hospital suffices patients' expectation. Patients' understanding views were obviously influential. The satisfaction level for medical aspect was more influential than the level for non-medical aspect.