The Effects Of Service Quality, Companion’s Satisfaction And Delight On Behavioural Intention In Private Hospitals For Medical Tourism

Kajian ini mengkaji perkaitan kualiti perkhidmatan dalam konteks pelancongan perubatan di hospital-hospital swasta di Malaysia. Ia merangkumi dimensi kualiti perkhidmatan komunikasi, budi bahasa, sokongan emosi, kemudahan hospital dan keperluan pendamping yang boleh meningkatkan niat tingkah laku melalui kepuasan dan kegembiraan berdasarkan pengalaman pendamping ini. Kajian ini juga menyiasat kesan yang sederhana daripada fasilitator pelancongan perubatan antara kualiti perkhidmatan dan niat tingkah laku dalam industri pelancongan perubatan. Model ini menggabungkan tiga teori; teori jangkaan ―disconfirmation‖, teori pemprosesan sosial dan teori psiko-evolusi emosi. Seramai 438 responden pendamping pesakit mengambil bahagian dalam kajian ini dari empat buah hospital swasta yang diluluskan di Pulau Pinang, Melaka dan Kuala Lumpur melalui kajian soal selidik yang dibangunkan daripada sastera yang berkaitan. Data dikumpulkan dengan menggunakan soal selidik yang dibangunkan daripada kajian sastera yang berkaitan dan kemudian dianalisis menggunakan pemodelan persamaan struktur melalui Smart PLS. This research examined the relevance of service quality in the context of medical tourism of the private hospitals in Malaysia. It encompasses the service quality dimensions of communication, courtesy, emotional support, hospital amenities and the companion‘s need that can influence intention of returning for retreatment, accompanying and promoting Malaysia private hospitals through satisfaction and delight based on the companion‘s experience. This research also investigates the moderating effect of medical travel facilitators between service quality and behavioural intention in the medical tourism industry. The model incorporates three theories; the expectancy-disconfirmation theory, the social information processing theory and the psycho-evolutionary theory of emotions. A total of 438 respondents of patient‘s companions participated in this study from four approved private hospitals in Penang, Malacca and Kuala Lumpur via survey questionnaire developed from related literature. Data was collected by using self-administered questionnaire developed from related literature and then analysed by using structural equation modeling via Smart PLS

The Moderating Effect of Medical Travel Facilitators in Medical Tourism

AbstractMedical tourism plays a significant role in shaping the future of medical care globally, due to the growth of technology, economy, and other global relations. There is increasing evidence that medical tourists seek help from medical travel facilitators to avoid critical preparations in finding reliable providers and ensuring trouble-free travel arrangements. In medical tourism, these facilitators play a significant role as moderator in engaging between the prospective patients in one country and medical facilities elsewhere around the world. To date, the literature in medical tourism has focused almost exclusively on patients and health care providers. However, little is known empirically with regard to the importance of medical travel facilitators and their contributions in the medical tourism industry. Hence, the moderating role of medical travel facilitators needs to be explored due to the rising number of medical tourist. This paper discusses how and to what extent medical travel facilitators benefit the global world of medical tourism. It is also useful to healthcare providers and businesses involved in this industry as well as future researchers

The importance of patient’s companion towards sustainable medical tourism in Malaysia

Malaysian government considers medical tourism as one of the leading contributors towards the country’s revenue and economic growth. In sustaining and promoting the industry, it is imperative to provide continuous quality service. To do so, Malaysian private hospitals need to address the key players in this industry as well as their role in assessing the quality of medical care. While much is known generally about patient’s perspectives towards service quality, the perspectives of their families or so called “companion” towards the services is neglected. Limited research is being done to investigate on the importance of medical tourist companion in medical tourism industry. In medical tourism, accompanied companion play important roles as facilitator to enhance quality of care for patients who are receiving treatment in another country. The insight forwarded by this paper could provide some basis for future studies in this domain, particularly, on the role played by medical tourist’s companion. Doctors and nurses responsiveness, sociability, politeness, civility, capability, access, communication, accessibility of the medical doctor and the hospital staff are some constructs that can be used to measure companion’s satisfaction as well as communication, responsiveness, courtesy, cleanliness, hospital facilities and environment. Hence, companion’s satisfaction needs to be explored to improve understanding of the significant impact they have in relation to hospital service quality in Malaysian private hospitals. This study will contribute to the body of knowledge which drive the sustainability of the tourism industry in Malaysia

Facebook Live-Streaming: How It Affect the Purchase Intention of Generation Y in Malaysia?

Today, people use social media for communicating and browsing the internet during their spare time. Additionally, people are using social media as a means of leisure during their free time. When Facebook launched its Facebook Live streaming application in 2016, the phenomenon created new opportunities for marketers. Recently, Facebook Live streaming is getting popular among companies in promoting their products and services. This research aims to investigate the factors that influence consumers’ purchase intention using Facebook Live streaming. The dependent variable of this study is the purchase intention whereas the independent variable is the attitude towards the broadcasters, interactivity, peer influence, perceived risk and product quality. There were 200 Generation Y respondents from whom information was collected via Facebook using a questionnaire. The result of the study showed that attitude and peer influence affect the consumer purchase intention when watching Facebook Live. This study gives marketers insight into improving their strategies in influencing consumer purchase intention when using Facebook Live streaming

Battling COVID-19: The Effectiveness of Biometrics Towards Enhancing Security of Internet Banking in Malaysia

The research purpose is to identify which security factors that influence customer trust towards the intention to continue using Internet banking in Malaysia. The primary participants are internet banking users in Malaysia. A total of 227 respondents completed the questionnaires as requested. The results show that direct relationship of perceived privacy, perceived confidentiality, perceived data integrity, effectiveness of biometrics are significant factors influencing customer trust towards intention to continue using internet banking. This result shows the significant mediating effect between perceived privacy, perceived confidentiality, perceived data integrity, effectiveness of biometrics with customer trust. Trust is a significant effect towards intention to continue using internet banking. Security factors and effectiveness of biometrics have strong relationship towards increasing customer trust using internet banking. This is a strong signal to internet banking providers to enhance their security level towards multi factor authentication using biometrics solution

Brand Engagement In S-commerce: A Study of Malaysia Customers

Nowadays, many sellers have started to participate in s-commerce. This has opened a new opportunity for sellers to sell the company's products and services. Due to the unique environment in social media, online sellers need to thoroughly focus on improving consumer engagement in scommerce. The main objective of this study is to determine the influence of customer participation, customer involvement, eWOM, and self-expressive brand on s-commerce brand engagement. The study collected 150 usable data using a selfadministered online questionnaire. The Structural Equation Model (SEM) was used to analyse the data of the study. The result of the study showed that customer involvement, eWOM, and self expressive brand will influence brand engagement. Based on the results of the study, recommendations were made for the company

Facebook live : how it affects the purchase intention of generation Y in Malaysia?

Today, people use social media for communicating and browsing the internet during their spare time. Additionally, people are using social media as a means of leisure during their free time. When Facebook launched its Facebook Live streaming application in 2016, the phenomenon created new opportunities for marketers. Recently, Facebook Live streaming is getting popular among companies in promoting their products and services. This research aims to investigate the factors that influence consumers’ purchase intention using Facebook Live streaming. The dependent variable of this study is the purchase intention whereas the independent variable is the attitude towards the broadcasters, interactivity, peer influence, perceived risk and product quality. There were 200 Generation Y respondents from whom information was collected via Facebook using a questionnaire. The result of the study showed that attitude and peer influence affect the consumer purchase intention when watching Facebook Live. This study gives marketers insight into improving their strategies in influencing consumer purchase intention when using Facebook Live streaming