Patient loyalty to health services: The role of communication skills and cognitive trust

Abstract

This study holistically examined the effects of healthcare providers’ or physicians’ communication skills on their patients’ continuous usage intention, which may influence the perception of a patient's cognitive trust. A total of 1,300 questionnaires were distributed, of which 253 valid response samples were analyzed. The results showed that a physician's communication skills had a positive effect on a patient's cognitive trust. Furthermore, the patient's cognitive trust was found to have a positive effect on continuous usage intention. This suggests that patients can develop cognitive trust and that the doctor-patient relationship can be consequently maintained, if the doctors listen to their patients and perceive their implicit thoughts and feelings from their behaviors.