Influence of healthcare institution managers' proactive approach to communication activities on patient satisfaction.
OBJECTIVE
Over the recent years customer satisfaction program as a tool for patient satisfaction has been recognized as an important issue in healthcare services. The aim of this preliminary study was to explore an influence of healthcare institution managers' approach and attitudes to marketing and public relations activities (communication activities), in the context of implementation of customer satisfaction programs, on patient satisfaction.


METHODS
The study was conducted among managers from different state-owned healthcare institutions (healthcare centres, clinics, hospitals) in Serbia. The structured questionnaire form, comprising both open and closed questions, was used as a main research tool. The total number of sent questionnaires was 120; 56 questionnaires were sent back, while 49 of them were valid.


RESULTS
It was shown that 42.9% of healthcare institutions apply proactive media approach, and that 35.7% of the organizations have a person who, besides his/her basic engagements, performs activities connected with marketing and public relations. Using Chi-square likelihood ratio test it is confirmed that these activities have a significant role in supporting customer satisfaction program implementation (p < 0.05). The results showed that in 69.4% cases, positive attitude of healthcare institutions managers toward marketing and public relations activities had positive influence on patient satisfaction (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Managers in healthcare sector in Serbia who used proactive approach toward media and who had already institutionalized communication activities with external stakeholders have a positive attitude to implementation of customer satisfaction program. Furthermore, managers' attitude toward communication activities has influence on patient satisfaction.
Filipović
Vinka
V
University of Belgrade, Faculty of Organizational Sciences, Department for Marketing Management and Public Relations, Belgrade, Serbia.
Cicvarić
Slavica
S
Stavljanin
Velimir
V
Damnjanović
Vesna
V
Radojicić
Zoran
Z
Joksimović
Nevenka Zarkić
NZ
Gogić
Aleksandra
A
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003142:Communication; D006270:Health Facility Administrators / Q000523:psychology; D006801:Humans; D008389:Marketing of Health Services; D008402:Mass Media; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D011641:Public Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires