An examination of hospital satisfaction with blood suppliers

• Published in: Transfusion (Philadelphia, Pa.) Pa.), 2004-11, Vol.44 (11), p.1648-1655
• Main Authors: Carden, Robert, DelliFraine, Jami L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Anesthesia. Intensive care medicine. Transfusions. Cell therapy and gene therapy; Biological and medical sciences; Blood Banks - economics; Blood Banks - standards; Blood Transfusion; Blood. Blood and plasma substitutes. Blood products. Blood cells. Blood typing. Plasmapheresis. Apheresis; Consumer Behavior; Costs and Cost Analysis; Emergency and intensive cardiocirculatory care. Cardiogenic shock. Coronary intensive care; Emergency and intensive care: techniques, logistics; Hospitals; Intensive care medicine; Intensive care unit. Emergency transport systems. Emergency, hospital ward; Linear Models; Medical sciences; Quality Control; Surveys and Questionnaires; Transfusions. Complications. Transfusion reactions. Cell and gene therapy
• ISSN: 0041-1132; 1537-2995
• DOI: 10.1111/j.0041-1132.2004.04184.x

BACKGROUND:  The purpose of this study was to identify factors that predict overall hospital satisfaction with blood suppliers. STUDY DESIGN AND METHODS:  The data for this study came from a 2001 satisfaction survey of hospital blood bank managers conducted by the National Blood Data Resource Center. A total of 1325 blood‐utilizing hospitals were included in the final study database. The measurement of hospital satisfaction with its blood supplier encompasses the five composites of the SERVQUAL model. The five composites are 1) tangibles, 2) reliability, 3) responsiveness, 4) assurance, and 5) empathy. Linear regression was performed with overall hospital satisfaction as the dependent variable and the five composites of the SERVQUAL model and control variables as predictors of overall hospital satisfaction with blood suppliers. RESULTS:  Significant predictors of hospital satisfaction with blood suppliers are satisfaction with medical and clinical support provided by the blood center, satisfaction with the routine delivery schedule, and price (service fee) of red cells. CONCLUSION:  Prior studies have demonstrated the importance of customer satisfaction to organizations. As organizations, blood centers can benefit from improved satisfaction from their hospital customers. Blood center strategies that focus on improving these three predictors of overall hospital satisfaction with primary blood suppliers will be the most likely to improve and/or maintain hospital customer satisfaction with primary blood suppliers.