Relational impact of service providers' interaction behavior in healthcare

Purpose - The aim of this paper is to examine how patients' loyalty, and confidence in their doctors, are influenced by doctors' interaction behavior, namely, listening and explaining behavior. Design/methodology/approach - Primary data were collected through a survey of patients in an advanced developing economy India. Patients visiting the same specialist doctor more than three times a year, in selected clinics in the city of Mumbai, were asked to complete the study instrument. All the constructs were measured using multiple items and well-established scales were revalidated to suit the context of the research. A total of 320 responses were analyzed to test the proposed hypotheses. Findings - Results confirm that the doctor-patient relationship is positively influenced by the interaction behavior of service providers, i.e. doctors. The study demonstrates that doctors' interaction behavior is instrumental in developing an effective relationship with their patients and boosts patients' confidence in their doctors. Furthermore, effective interaction enhances patients' loyalty to their service providers. Originality/value - This would appear to be the first study of its kind conducted in the context of an advanced developing economy. The study suggests that development of effective communication skills in doctors warrants due attention in medical education. Furthermore, this study validates relevant measurement scales in India's context.