Abstract
INTRODUCTION: Declining patient satisfaction signals a pressing challenge in healthcare service quality; however, the role of service innovation in addressing this issue remains underexplored. While patient satisfaction is the cornerstone of effective healthcare delivery, evolving patient needs and expectations demand that providers innovate to remain competitive and responsive to patient needs. Although prior research underscores the positive impact of service innovation on patient satisfaction, a critical gap persists in understanding how service innovation mediates the relationship between customer orientation and patient satisfaction. This study aims to fill this gap by examining the interplay between these factors and offering insights to enhance healthcare service strategies. METHODS: A cross-sectional survey strategy was employed to gather primary data from private and public healthcare facilities in the Greater Accra and Ashanti Regions. The three largest government hospitals and the two largest private hospitals in each region were selected, due to their high referral rates. Using Snedecor and Cochran's formula, a sample size of 386 was determined; however, this was increased to 700 to account for potential non-responses and incomplete questionnaires, yielding a final response rate of approximately 91%. RESULTS: The results confirmed that customer orientation positively impacted service innovation (β = 0.020, p = 0.040), but service innovation did not significantly enhance patient satisfaction (β = 0.360, p = 0.560). Service innovation was not a significant mediator of the relationship between customer orientation and patient satisfaction (indirect effect β = 0.360, p = 0.563). CONCLUSIONS: Although customer orientation significantly enhances service innovation in healthcare, service innovation alone does not substantially affect patient satisfaction. This challenges the widely held assumption that service innovation translates to higher levels of patient satisfaction. Therefore, the pathway through which customer orientation affects patient satisfaction may be diverse and requires further research. These findings highlight the need for a holistic approach that integrates innovative services and processes with high-quality service delivery and patient engagement to meet patients' expectations. These findings support the incorporation of patient perspectives into healthcare practices to boost service delivery and enhance patient satisfaction. Prioritising training and policies to promote a customer-centric culture to enhance customer orientation is essential for healthcare organisations.