The Effects of Switching Cost Perceived by Patients and Negative Word of Mouth on Revisiting Intention for Hospital Patients

Ko, Yu Kyung; Kim, Byeong Jin

doi:10.11111/jkana.2011.17.1.5

J Korean Acad Nurs Adm. 2011 Mar;17(1):5-13. Korean.
Published online Mar 31, 2011.
https://doi.org/10.11111/jkana.2011.17.1.5

Original Article

The Effects of Switching Cost Perceived by Patients and Negative Word of Mouth on Revisiting Intention for Hospital Patients

Yu Kyung Ko,¹ and Byeong Jin Kim²

Author information

Author notes

Copyright and License

- ¹Assistant Professor, Department of Nursing Science, College of Medical Science, Konyang University, Korea.
- ²Researcher, KHIDI (Korea Health Industry Development Institute), Korea.
Correspondence: Ko, Yu Kyung. Department of Nursing Science, College of Medical Science, Konyang University 685 Gasuwon-dong, Seo-gu, Daejeon 302-718, Korea. Tel: 82-42-600-6436, Fax: 82-42-545-5326, Email: yukyko@konyang.ac.kr

Received July 07, 2010; Revised October 26, 2010; Accepted November 16, 2010.

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of patient perception of the switching cost and negative word of mouth on revisit intention of patients in out-patient departments (OPDs) of general hospitals.

Methods

The participants were 306 patients in general hospital, selected through convenience sampling. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analyzed using descriptive statistics, Spearman correlation coefficient, and logistic regression with SPSS Win.

Results

Relational switching cost was positively correlated with revisit intention (r=.58, p=<.001), but not financial switching cost or procedural switching cost. Negative word of mouth was negatively correlated with revisit intention (r=-.22, p=<.001). The significant predictors influencing revisit intention in patients was relational switching cost.

Conclusion

The findings of this study suggest that hospital and nursing managers should seek to bolster perceptions of switching costs and negative word of mouth, which subsequently increases revisit intentions in small hospitals located in the country as well as urban large hospitals.

Keywords

Switching cost; Negative word of mouth; Revisiting intention

Tables

Table 1
General characteristics of participants (N=306)

Click for larger image

Table 2
Mean and standard deviation of variables (N=306)

Click for larger image

Table 3
Spearman correlation between switching cost, negative word of mouth and revisiting intention (N=306)

Click for larger image

Table 4
Factors affecting revisiting intention (N=306)

Click for larger image

References

1. Anderson E, Sullivan MW. The Antecedents and consequences of customer satisfaction for firms. Mark Sci 1993;12(2):125–143.
  CrossRef
1. Burnham TA, Frels JK, Mahajan V. Consumer switching costs: A typology, antecedents, and consequences. J Acad Mark Sci 2003;31(2):109–126.
  CrossRef
1. Chen PY, Hitt LM. Measuring switching costs and the determinants. of customer retention in internet-enabled businesses: A study of the online brokerage industry. Inf Syst Res 2002;13(3):255–274.
  CrossRef
1. Jackson BB. In: Winning and keeping industrial customers. MA: Lexington Books; 1985.
1. Jones MA, Mothersbaugh DL, Betty SE. Switching barriers and repurchase intentions in services. J Retail 2000;76(2):259–274.
  CrossRef
1. Jones MA, Reynolds KE, Mothersbaugh DL, Beatty SE. The positive and negative effects of switching costs on relational outcomes. Inf Syst Res 2007;9(4):335–355.
1. Jung IK, Park CJ. A Study of the effects of the customer value and switching barriers on the repurchase intention in internet shopping malls. J MIS Res 2004;14(1):185–209.
1. Jung Y. In: Developing customer switching costs model and measuring the effects of switching costs. Seoul, Korea: Yonsei University; 2007.
  Unpublished master's thesis.
1. Kim SH, Oh SH. The determinants of repurchase intentions in the service industry: customer value, customer satisfaction, switching costs, and attractiveness of alternatives. Korean Mark Rev 2002;17(2):25–55.
1. Ko SD. The effect of switching cost and customer satisfaction on repurchasing intention in the food service industry. Tourism Res 2002;16:113–139.
1. Kolter P. In: Marketing management: analysis, planning, and control. N.J.: Prentice-Hall Inc.; 1990. pp. 135.pp. 602.
1. Lee YJ, Lee CL. Antecedents and consequences of switching costs: The moderating role of service subscription types. Korean Mark Rev 2005;20(3):1–28.
  CrossRef
1. Lee JH. In: How do multidimensional switching costs affect customer commitment?. Seoul: Yonsei University; 2007.
  Unpublished master's thesis.
1. Lee JS, Choi SH. Relation between negative word-of-mouth communication on choice of restaurant and purchasing behavior in the customer of food service. J Tourism Leis Res 2002;13(2):9–24.
1. Lee SH, Moon HY, Oh SY. Effects of customer badness behavior intention on negative word of mouth and revisit intention in restaurants: Focus on the gender and the partner type. J Foodserv Manage 2009;12(3):257–275.
1. Lee YJ, Gong TS. The effects of service justice on customer badness behavior-mediating roles of negative affectivity and customer commitment. Korean Mark Rev 2004;19(4):185–210.
1. Lim S. Why get a special hospital an eye to model enterprise?. Medicalobserver. 2008 May.
  http://www.medicalobserver.co.kr/News/news_view.aspx?Cid=H0301&Cno=25843&Pno=20.
1. Min EH. In: A study on the relationship repurchase and nonrelational repurchase. Seoul, Korea: Dankook University; 2002.
  Unpublished doctoral dissertation.
1. Morgan RM, Hunt SD. The commitment-trust theory of relationship marketing. J Mark 1994 Jul;58:20–38.
  CrossRef
1. Porter ME. In: Competitive strategy. New York: Free Press; 1980.
1. Reichheld FF. Learning from customer defections. Harv Bus Rev 1996 March/April;:56–69.
1. Reichheld FF, Sasser WE. Zero Defections: Quality comes to services. Harv Bus Rev 1990;68(5):105–111.
  PubMed
1. Sharma N. The role of pure and quasi-moderators in services: An empirical investigation of ongoing customer-service provider relationships. J Retail Consum Serv 2003;10(4):253–262.
  CrossRef
1. Son YM. In: Effect of Relationship Marketing Implement Factors on the Customer Trust, Customer Loyalty, and Repurchase in Hospital. Pusan, Korea: Kosin University; 2004.
  Unpublished doctoral dissertation.
1. Yu HK, Lee JH. The effect of transaction characteristics and switching costs on behavioral intentions of food service entrepreneurs for tax service. Tourism Res 2009;24(3):63–84.