Effect of Proactive Customer Services on Patients’ Satisfaction in Tanzanian Private Healthcare Facilities: A Case of JR Hospital in Mwanza City
Objectives: To investigate the collective and specific effects of proactive customer service (PCS) dimensions—Anticipation of Patients’ Needs (APN), Healthcare Responsiveness (R), and Employees’ Empathy (E)—on Patients’ Satisfaction (PS) in Tanzanian private healthcare, thereby addressing a crucial knowledge and population gap regarding service recipient perception in healthcare industry.
Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative, hospital-based cross-sectional survey utilized systematic random sampling to collect data from 278 outpatient attendees at a private hospital in Mwanza, Tanzania. Data analysis employed descriptive statistics, correlation, and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) using SPSS v27.
Results and Discussion: PCS dimensions collectively explain 66.2% of the variance in PS (Adjusted R2=0.662, p<0.01). All three dimensions significantly and positively affect PS. Employees’ Empathy (β=0.414) was the strongest predictor, followed closely by Responsiveness (β=0.393) and APN (β=0.204). A high interdependence (0.866) was discovered between Empathy and Responsiveness, suggesting their synergistic effect on patient experience.
Practical implications: Private hospital management should prioritize investment in soft skills, emphasizing employee’ empathy and emotional intelligence, as this demonstrates the highest statistical return in PS and subsequently enhances providers’ perceived responsiveness. Proactive financial transparency (part of APN) is essential for mitigating risk perception among cost-sensitive patients.
Originality: This study applies Social Exchange Theory (SET) to empirically validate the effect of proactive service dimensions from the consumer perspective in a resource-constrained setting, contrasting previous reactive public sector studies in Tanzania. It establishes Empathy as the paramount driver of satisfaction and operational promptness in this context, effectively filling identified methodological and population gaps.
Keywords Proactive customer services, Patients’ satisfaction, Patients, Empathy, Responsiveness.
