Companions’ co-creation with healthcare service providers, influence on patients’ satisfaction
(A2020-62933)

AUTHORS

Ana Suárez Vázquez, University of Oviedo; Leticia Suárez-Álvarez, University of Oviedo; Ana Del Río Lanza, University of Oviedo; Víctor Iglesias Argüelles, University of Oviedo

KEYWORDS

Healthcare services; Companions’ co-creation; Elderly patients

ABSTRACT

Geriatric encounters are very interesting settings to analyse the consequences of service triads. Third persons accompanying patients are common practice due to the increase in elderly population and chronic illnesses. Previous research has considered the influence of companions as information agents. The purpose of this paper is to study how companions co-create during elderly medical encounters and the effects of this co-creation on patients’ satisfaction. In doing so, two dimensions of co-creation —coproduction and value-in-use— are distinguished. By using two field surveys, data collected from 907 companions and 907 elderly patients were examined through structural equation modelling. Results show that the value-creating activities of accompanying family members during elderly medical encounters only have a positive effect on patients’ satisfaction when co-creation is promoted by healthcare professionals.

REFERENCES

This research was funded by Ministerio de Economía, Industria y Competitividad, Gobierno de España, grant number ECO2016-76783-R.