Patient Loyalty in the HospitalPatient Relationship: The Mediating Role of Social Media

This study aimed to investigate role of social media on patient loyalty. Based on related literature review, for assessing patient loyalty, a measurement scale, testing satisfaction shared by patient through social media, patient trust, strength of hospital-patient communication on social media, and perceived image of hospital on social media was developed. The data was collected from 625 patients by selfadministered online questionnaires. Hypotheses about the role of social media were suggested based on existing body of knowledge so that we aimed to examine underlying mechanism between the predictors and patient loyalty by means of Structural Equation Modelling (SEM) framework. Findings demonstrated that satisfaction, shared by patients through social media, mediated the association between patient trust, strength of hospital-patient communication on social media, perceived image of hospital on social media, and patient loyalty. The findings provide an original empirical model with respect to gaining loyal patients whom are customers of hospitals and highlight the important role of social media in health communication