A study on healthcare institution selection of healthcare consumers using theory of consumption values : Focusing on relations among clinics or small sized hospitals, general hospitals, and large-sized hospitals

Kim, Yang-Kyun; Kim, Jun-Seok

Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management > Volume 37(4); 2009 > Article

Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management 2009;37(4): 71-.

소비가치 이론을 이용한 의료소비자의 의료기관 선택 요인 분석 : 중소병원, 종합병원, 대형종합병원 비교 중심으로

김양균¹, 김준석²

¹경희대학교 경영대학 경영학부 의료경영학
²경희대학교 경영대학 경영학부 경영학

A study on healthcare institution selection of healthcare consumers using theory of consumption values : Focusing on relations among clinics or small sized hospitals, general hospitals, and large-sized hospitals

Yang-Kyun Kim¹, Jun-Seok Kim²

¹Department of Health Services Management, Kyung Hee Unviersity
²Department of Business Administration, Kyung Hee University

ABSTRACT

The healthcare environment today is changing rapidly with factors of healthcare consumers in selecting medical institutions also altering at a fast pace under the circumstances. In this study, the theory of consumption values established by Sheth in 1991 is adopted in order to examine particular value affecting consumer selection of healthcare institutions. For the purpose of this study, healthcare consumers were surveyed using questionnaires developed based on the five values of Sheth supplemented by value of effort to acquire hospital information and value in health. Consequently, 24 consumption values affecting selection process were confirmed through discriminant analysis. As a result of regression analysis on factors affecting consumer selection of healthcare institution, effort to acquire hospital information and age among demographic characteristics of respondents are determined important predictors for consumer selection of general hospitals over clinics or small-sized hospitals. Further, service, reputation scale of healthcare institution among functional values and importance of health and effort to acquire hospital information among value in health are identified as significant predictors for consumer selection of large-sized general hospitals over clinic or small-sized hospitals. This study suggests not only vital implications for marketing strategy of healthcare institutions, but also methods to promote positive image for healthcare providers. In addition, this study closely examines the cause of the leaning phenomenon of healthcare comsumers toward large-sized general hospitals.

Key Words: Consumption Values;Healthcare Institution Selection;Discriminant Analysis;Regression analysis;