Developing an Indigenous Model of Customer Experience in Health Tourism in Mazandaran Province Using an Exploratory Mixed-Methods Approach
Keywords:
Customer Experience, Health Tourism , Indigenous Model, Mixed-Methods Approach, Mazandaran ProvinceAbstract
The present study aimed to design and explain an indigenous model of customer experience in health tourism in Mazandaran Province using an exploratory mixed-methods approach. Given the growing competition among medical centers and the critical importance of patient experience in retaining and attracting health tourists, there is a need for a localized model that aligns with the country’s cultural and organizational conditions. The research was conducted in two stages. In the qualitative stage, the thematic analysis method was used to extract the main dimensions and components of customer experience. In the quantitative stage, the proposed model was tested using confirmatory factor analysis. The statistical population in the qualitative stage consisted of 18 experts in the field of health tourism and managers of medical centers who were selected through purposive sampling. In the quantitative stage, data were collected from 384 health tourist patients. The findings revealed that the final model comprises four main dimensions—quality of medical services, emotional experience, cultural–social experience, and process convenience—along with twelve sub-indicators. This model can serve as a framework for assessing and enhancing customer experience in Iran’s health tourism industry.
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