Indian healthcare is described as the largest sector, both in revenue and employment. The quality of service—the characteristics that shape care experience beyond technical competence—is rarely discussed in the medical literature. This study reveals the determinants that affect the perception of quality of healthcare services from the patients' and service providers' points of view. A cross-sectional method was followed to determine the perception of quality of healthcare services and relating variables including infrastructure, reliability and responsiveness, empathy, affordability, and administration. The data collected from 400 respondents, including patients and service providers, for the study were analyzed using confirmatory factor analysis. Results confirmed that healthcare service quality aspects (i.e., physical environment, staff behavior, responsiveness, affordable services, admission process) positively relate to customers' perception. Findings will help the hospital managers articulate effective strategies to ensure superior quality of healthcare services to customers.

Although INDIAN healthcare is described as “the largest sector, both in revenue and employment.” Developments and improvements in healthcare services give importance to the concept of competition and encourage increased quality among the healthcare centers. The quality of service –the characteristics that shape care experience beyond technical competence- is rarely discussed in the medical literature. This study reveals the determinants that affect the perception of the quality of healthcare services from the patients’ points of view. A cross-sectional method was followed to determine the perception of quality of healthcare services and relating variables, including infrastructure, reliability & responsiveness, empathy, affordability, and administration. The data collected from 400 in-patients for the study were analyzed using Confirmatory Factor Analysis. This study connects the findings of related studies that the hospital service quality significantly affected patients’ perceptions. Results confirmed that healthcare service quality aspects (i.e., physical environment, staff behavior, responsiveness, affordable services, admission process) positively relate to patients’ perception. Findings will help the hospital managers articulate effective strategies to ensure superior quality of healthcare services to patients. The study will induce hospital management to focus on the quality of private healthcare service systems and improvements towards deficient healthcare services.

PurposeThis paper aims at analysing the socio-economic characteristics, mobile phone ownership and banking behaviour as key determinants of digital financial inclusion in India.Design/methodology/approachThis study is based on the Global Findex Survey of the World Bank covering 3,000 adult individuals in India. Simple statistical tools such as descriptive statistics, chi-square test and regression analysis with a marginal effect have been used for the data analysis.FindingsAbout 35.2% of respondents have reported using digital financial services in the country. There is a significant association between the socio-economic profiles of individuals with the adoption of digital financial services in terms of gender, age, education, occupation and income. The marginal effect indicates that socio-economic factors, mobile phone ownership and banking behaviour of individuals towards borrowings and savings have indicated significant influence on digital financial inclusion. The analysis depicts that male with higher age, education, working status and higher income are more likely to adopt digital financial services. Further, individuals with mobile phone ownership and utilising banking in terms of borrowings and savings are more likely to adopt digital financial services.Practical implicationsAs digital banking services have emerged as a preferred channel for financial service delivery, this study provides timely insights on developing user driven-strategies for promoting digital financial services.Originality/valueSocio-economic characteristics, mobile phone ownership and banking behaviour are critical determinants of financial inclusion, so assessing its implications in the era of digitisation becomes imperative.Peer reviewThe peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-10-2022-0673.

No abstract