A Critical Analysis Of Patient Satisfaction With Diabetes Care

Consumer satisfaction represents one of the core principles of marketing as it is acknowledged that organizations survive and prosper only by properly meeting the needs and wants of their customers. The same logic can be applied to the healthcare sector, especially in the current context of increased public scrutiny and funding pressure. Furthermore, research shows that patient satisfaction is linked to positive effects from both a marketing and a medical point of view. From a marketing point of view, patient satisfaction is closely linked to positive word of mouth and likelihood to recommend, while from a medical poinbt of view, research suggests that satisfied patients are more inclined toward treatment adherence, are less likely to seek another opinion elsewhere thus delaying treatment, while medical staff tend to have a higher morale. Yet, research regarding patient satisfaction with a particular illness is scarce with studies rarely building on previous results. The article takes on this challenge and aims to critically analyse several empirical studies conducted on patient satisfaction with diabetes care in order to synthesize results on particular determinants and suggest areas for further research. Diabetes is currently one of the most spread chronic disease around the world, while also affecting both old and younger patients. At the same time, it is a chronic disease characterised by the need for disease management efforts on behalf of the patients as well as high treatment adherence in order to avoid complications. It is also a costly chronic disease especially because of the numerous complications which patients may arrive to face during their struggle with this disease. In order to achieve the aim of this article we have chosen to adopt a marketing approach meaning that we see diabetes patients as clients of the medical institutions. Results show that diabetes particularities call for a broader view on patient satisfaction determinants. The added value of the article lies in the healthcare marketing approach and the synthetic presentation of existing research in this domain.