THERE ARE A NUMBER OF INFLUENCES UPON THIS TYPE OF training of which we must be aware and which we must attempt to reconcile: these major influences are illustrated by figure 1.
THE EQUAL PAY ACT 1970 MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT SALARY changes in many companies and there is little time left to take planned progressive action towards its implementation. Its…
Abstract
THE EQUAL PAY ACT 1970 MAY CAUSE SIGNIFICANT SALARY changes in many companies and there is little time left to take planned progressive action towards its implementation. Its consequences can reach beyond salaries to whole pay structures and would thus test the industrial relations within many companies and organisations.
Since the late 1950s the focus of UK policy for people with learning disabilities has been on deinstitutionalisation and care in the community. In the last decade policy focus has…
Abstract
Since the late 1950s the focus of UK policy for people with learning disabilities has been on deinstitutionalisation and care in the community. In the last decade policy focus has shifted towards individualised support and community membership. Deinstitutionalisation in Scotland started later than in England, and still has some way to go. This article considers four aspects of the current hospital closure programme in Scotland: involving people with a learning disability and families, managing hospital closure, service reprovisioning, and strategic planning.
Traditionally, participation in the local community has been considered a crucial component of community living for people with learning disabilities. As one of the key principles…
Abstract
Traditionally, participation in the local community has been considered a crucial component of community living for people with learning disabilities. As one of the key principles in Valuing People (DH, 2001), this concept ‐ now appearing as ‘inclusion’ ‐ has retained its prominence, and is an important area for service development and monitoring. In 1995, following the closure of a large long‐stay hospital, a survey of the community activities of a group of people with learning disabilities living in the community was undertaken. The study was repeated in 2005, for 18 people. For those individuals there was no difference in the frequency of community activities over the 10‐year period. The findings indicate that, for this group of people (people with more severe learning disabilities, requiring 24‐hour support), any aspirations that the frequency of participation in community activities would increase over time have not been met. This is in spite of the re‐focusing on ‘inclusion’ ‐ with the publication of the White Paper, Valuing People ‐ during this period.
IT is a very encouraging sign to those interested in the welfare of children that so much attention is being bestowed upon them by library authorities. On every side activity is…
Abstract
IT is a very encouraging sign to those interested in the welfare of children that so much attention is being bestowed upon them by library authorities. On every side activity is apparent: most new buildings have a room set aside for the exclusive use of juveniles, and many old buildings are being adapted and special provision made for the young. In these circumstances a brief summary of practical requirements may not come amiss.
Bikash Ranjan Debata, Bhaswati Patnaik, Siba Sankar Mahapatra and Kumar Sree
The purpose of this paper is to identify the dimensions of service quality as well as of service loyalty in the context of medical tourism. It seeks to demonstrate the…
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify the dimensions of service quality as well as of service loyalty in the context of medical tourism. It seeks to demonstrate the conceptualization of medical tourism service loyalty (MTSL) construct. This research also attempts to examine the effect of service quality dimensions on service loyalty dimensions of medical tourism.
Design/methodology/approach
The dimensions of service quality as well as of service loyalty are identified using an exploratory factor analysis. Next, the reliability and validity of the quality factors and loyalty factors are established through confirmatory factor analysis using AMOS 18.0 version. The related hypotheses are tested using structural equation modeling (SEM).
Findings
The paper identifies eight-factor construct for medical tourism service quality and three-factor construct for MTSL. It is found that the treatment satisfaction dimension of service quality has positive and significant impact on MTSL. It is also observed that, overall, medical tourism service quality has positive impact on MTSL.
Practical implications
These dimensions of service quality should be viewed as the levers of improving perceived service quality with respect to medical tourism. Examining the service quality dimensions’ impact on customer loyalty for medical tourism sector can offer the industry valuable insights regarding which aspects of the service to focus on in order to improve medical tourist’s satisfaction and loyalty toward the firms.
Originality/value
This paper introduces the concept of service quality and service loyalty in medical tourism sector. In conceptualizing MTSL, the authors propose an integration of behavioral measures, attitudinal measures and cognitive measures. The interrelationship between the service quality construct and medical loyalty construct was established using SEM. This is useful for the healthcare manager to measure the medical tourist’s perceptions of service quality on these dimensions as related to medical tourism performance.