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1 – 8 of 8Prachi Verma, Satinder Kumar and Sanjeev K. Sharma
This article initially aims to explore the factors of every quality construct of the 5Qs model of service quality and, second, identify the significant factors affecting the total…
Abstract
Purpose
This article initially aims to explore the factors of every quality construct of the 5Qs model of service quality and, second, identify the significant factors affecting the total quality of e-healthcare services and its association with consumer satisfaction using a multidimensional hierarchical 5Qs model of e-healthcare service quality.
Design/methodology/approach
Questionnaire-oriented research was performed at three public hospitals of Punjab and Chandigarh. In total, 53 variables were covered in all quality constructs for data collection from the designated public hospitals. The respondents who agreed to have knowledge regarding e-Healthcare services and were availing these services were included in the study. The analysis comprised structural equation modeling technique using AMOS 21.
Findings
The outcomes suggest that the 5Qs model is more comprehensive and can be used to evaluate service quality perceptions using e-Healthcare services. The research identified 11 sub-dimensions for the five quality constructs of the 5Qs model, representing total quality, which is primary to consumer satisfaction. “Overall objectivity” and “technical objectivity” defined the quality of object. The quality of process of e-Healthcare services was characterized by “functionality,” “timeliness” and “responsiveness.” Quality of infrastructure was defined by “technical infrastructure,” “physical infrastructure,” “manpower skills” and “organizational infrastructure.” “Manner of interaction” and “timely interaction” defined the quality of interaction. The atmosphere was represented by only one factor. The results also suggest that quality of infrastructure, quality of interaction and quality of atmosphere play the most significant role in total quality leading to consumer satisfaction.
Research limitations/implications
Theoretical implications: The multidimensional hierarchical model will help the researchers study the e-Healthcare service quality in a more organized manner, and the outcomes of this study can be linked with that of future studies for more generalized application in other public hospitals. The sub-dimensions of each quality construct of the 5Qs model can be applied in private hospitals, and the hierarchical model can be tested in different industries to measure service quality perceptions of the consumer
Practical implications
The outcomes of the study can be applied in various public sector hospitals to redesign the e-Healthcare services based on consumers' perception for better consumer satisfaction and quality services. This paper identifies the role of each quality construct in e-Healthcare services for improvement in the total quality, which in turn will lead to higher satisfaction for the consumers.
Originality/value
In this study, the original 5Qs model has been used for the first time in a new instrument to understand better and design quality e-Healthcare services. The paper explores the sub-factors of each quality construct and its significance in measuring the total quality.
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Prachi Verma, Satinder Kumar and Sanjeev K. Sharma
Use of technology for quality healthcare services has developed into a new field known as “e-Healthcare services.” Healthcare providers often judge their quality of services with…
Abstract
Purpose
Use of technology for quality healthcare services has developed into a new field known as “e-Healthcare services.” Healthcare providers often judge their quality of services with consumer satisfaction. With e-Healthcare services, consumer satisfaction is influenced by the quality of healthcare services provided and the demographic characteristics. The purpose of the present case study is to recognize the important predictors of quality, which are significant for consumer satisfaction with e-Healthcare services by using Zineldin's 5Qs model. It also aims to find the strength of association among the predictors of consumer satisfaction and the demographic characteristics of the respondents.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire-based study was conducted at a public (PGIMER, Chandigarh) and a private hospital (Fortis Hospital, Mohali) of Punjab, India, from February 2018 to March 2019. The structured, closed-ended questionnaire, to be marked on a 1–5 point Likert scale, was adapted from Zineldin's 5Qs model and was distributed to the respondents sitting in the waiting halls of the selected hospitals. The respondents comprised of both the patients and their attendants who were aware of e-Healthcare services and were using them.
Findings
The analysis identified quality of interaction, quality of hospital atmosphere and quality of object to be the key predictors of consumer satisfaction with e-Healthcare services. The results reveal a strong association between different demographic characteristics and overall consumer satisfaction with e-Healthcare services.
Practical implications
The results suggest that improvements in the quality of interaction, quality of hospital atmosphere and quality of object may result in higher consumer satisfaction with e-Healthcare services. Working on the identified dimensions of quality will help the e-Healthcare providers in identifying functional problems of e-Healthcare services and developing improvement strategies, which will also result in better health and quality outcomes. The results of this study will help the e-Healthcare providers in better segmentation of e-Healthcare consumers based on their demographic characteristics and in developing better marketing strategies.
Originality/value
This paper focuses on the quality of e-Healthcare services only and attempts to identify the quality dimensions, which leads to the satisfaction of e-Healthcare consumers. The identified quality dimensions will help in designing better e-Healthcare services and framing policies. It also highlights the association of demographic characteristics with important quality dimensions.
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Prachi Verma, Satinder Kumar and Sanjeev K. Sharma
This study aims to explore the different dimensions of e-healthcare ethics and their relationships, influencing the ethical concerns of the consumer in making ethical e-healthcare…
Abstract
Purpose
This study aims to explore the different dimensions of e-healthcare ethics and their relationships, influencing the ethical concerns of the consumer in making ethical e-healthcare choices.
Design/methodology/approach
A study was conducted at two identified major hospitals of Punjab (a private hospital) and Chandigarh (a public hospital), India providing e-healthcare services with the help of a self-administered questionnaire. The respondents were identified from the waiting areas of the selected hospitals, and only those respondents were selected for the study, who agreed to be aware of e-health services and were using them for some time. The statistical analysis was done using the structural equation modeling technique and included both exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis using SPSS 20 and AMOS 21.
Findings
Exploratory factor analysis extracted five dimensions of ethical concerns of the consumer, which include service promotion, content quality, candor, professionalism and confidentiality. The results signify that content quality plays a significant role in ethics, followed by candor, service promotion and confidentiality. However, the relationship with professionalism did not prove to be significant for the ethical concerns of the e-health consumer.
Practical implications
This research delivers a practical significance in identifying the critical dimensions of the ethical concerns of the consumer while selecting e-health services. It gives an insight into the various dimensions, which should be considered by the e-health providers while crafting e-health services to make it more ethically acceptable by the consumers.
Originality/value
By using e-health services, consumers play an active role in their health-care decisions. The consumers need to consider ethics while choosing health-care services as an ethical judgment will also be the correct judgment. This study helps in the identification of the significant dimensions for the ethical concerns of the consumers.
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Mohd Taufiq Mohd Khairi, Sallehuddin Ibrahim, Mohd Amri Md Yunus and Mahdi Faramarzi
This paper aims to present a review of the design and development of the turbidimeter for measuring the turbidity level in water. Monitoring the turbidity level of water is…
Abstract
Purpose
This paper aims to present a review of the design and development of the turbidimeter for measuring the turbidity level in water. Monitoring the turbidity level of water is important because it is related to public health.
Design/methodology/approach
A precise and reliable turbidimeter can provide vital data that reveals the water condition level. Several turbidimeter units are discussed briefly. Three types of turbidimeter design – single beam, ratio and modulated four beams – are elaborated with some illustrations of the design concept. Various improvements and innovations for upgrading turbidimeter design are also discussed.
Findings
This paper elaborated on a new method of estimating the water turbidity level in water samples using an optical tomography system based on the independent component analysis method. The results showed that a tomography-based turbidimeter can measure slight changes in the level of turbidity when the volume of contaminants is changed slightly. The turbidimeter can also provide a profile of the distribution of the turbidity in the water sample.
Originality/value
A turbidimeter based on the optical tomography concept can be a valuable tool in determining the level of pollution in rivers, sea, etc.
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Prachi Vinod Ingle and Gangadhar Mahesh
The success of construction projects can be indicated by measuring their performance. For effective project performance (PP), the successful execution of a construction projects…
Abstract
Purpose
The success of construction projects can be indicated by measuring their performance. For effective project performance (PP), the successful execution of a construction projects is very important. A systematic review of the literature on performance areas and performance assessment models was undertaken. The purpose of this paper is to develop a mathematical formulation for construction PP areas to suit the Indian context by modifying the current project quarterback rating (PQR) model.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the literature, the PQR model has not been validated for suitability in the Indian context. To validate the PQR model and modify the same for the Indian context, a survey instrument was used to collect data on performance areas and a multivariate data analysis technique was carried out to develop a modified model. Delphi technique was used to assign the weights for each performance metric in performance areas.
Findings
This study concluded the importance of three additional performance areas, namely, productivity, stakeholder satisfaction and environment for assessing PP for Indian construction projects. It also identified the interrelationship between the performance areas and the PP.
Practical implications
The developed modified PQR model (MPQR) will guide the concerned stakeholders to take corrective actions for improving the performance of construction projects.
Originality/value
The MPQR proposed in this paper covers ten areas and is a comprehensive single score that can be used to benchmark and compare performance over different projects to achieve continuous improvement.
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Prachi Bhavesh Sanghvi and Seema Mehrotra
The purpose of this review was to examine Indian research on help-seeking for mental health problems in adults.
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this review was to examine Indian research on help-seeking for mental health problems in adults.
Design/methodology/approach
Original Indian research studies on help-seeking for mental health, published from the year 2001−2019 were searched on PubMed, EBSCO, ProQuest and OVID using a set of relevant keywords. After applying exclusion criteria, 52 relevant research studies were identified.
Findings
The reviewed studies spanned a variety of themes such as barriers and facilitators to help-seeking, sources of help-seeking, causal attributions as well as other correlates of help-seeking, process of help-seeking and interventions to increase help-seeking. The majority of these studies were carried out in general community samples or treatment-seeking samples. Very few studies incorporated non-treatment seeking distressed samples. There is a severe dearth of studies on interventions to improve help-seeking. Studies indicate multiple barriers to seeking professional help and highlight that mere knowledge about illness and availability of professional services may be insufficient to minimize delays in professional help-seeking.
Originality/value
Help-seeking in the Indian context is often a family-based decision-making process. Multi-pronged help-seeking interventions that include components aimed at reducing barriers experienced by non-treatment seeking distressed persons and empowering informal support providers with knowledge and skills for encouraging professional help-seeking in their significant others may be useful.
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Research on caregiving has been considering the positive effects experienced by the mothers of children with disabilities. This paper aims to examine whether positive perceptions…
Abstract
Purpose
Research on caregiving has been considering the positive effects experienced by the mothers of children with disabilities. This paper aims to examine whether positive perceptions mediate the relationships between coping strategies used and psychological well-being among mothers of children with intellectual disabilities.
Design/methodology/approach
The study opted for a quantitative approach that includes a correlation research design to examine the relationships between the variables of coping, positive perceptions and well-being among mothers of children with intellectual disabilities attending special schools in the metropolitan city Bengaluru, India. The four-factor structure of Brief COPE examined were active avoidance coping, problem-focussed coping, positive coping and religious-denial coping. “Positive perceptions” refer to the positive contributions for the mother from the experiences of raising a child with intellectual disability. Mediation analysis explored the relationship between the variables.
Findings
Problem-focussed coping was the most commonly reported coping factor and was associated with higher levels of well-being. Active-avoidance coping was the least commonly reported coping strategy. Positive perceptions partially mediated the relationship between the four coping factors and maternal well-being. These findings indicate that positive maternal perceptions have important implications for the employment of effective coping strategies that are associated with enhancement of psychological well-being.
Originality/value
The focus on positive perceptions would help in understanding the use of coping strategies and planning of support services or interventions. The positive mental health of mothers paves the way for positive developments in the child’s physical and psychological health.
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