Does value co-creation enhance customer well-being? Insights from health-care service delivery

Purpose This study aims to improve our understanding of value co-creation (VCC) in health-care service delivery by identifying pertinent factors driving VCC and its consequent effect on customer well-being. Design/methodology/approach Using a face-to-face quantitative survey research design, the proposed model is tested involving 767 health-care customers. Data is analyzed through structural equation modeling using AMOS 26. Findings The authors identify three key factors driving VCC during clinical encounters: (1) customer-related factors, (2) provider-related factors and (3) interactional-related factors during the clinical encounter. These factors are at the clinical encounter level and were found to significantly impact on customer VCC. The results further revealed a significant relationship between VCC and satisfaction with the experience, and an indirect influence of VCC on customer well-being through satisfaction with the experience. Research limitations/implications This research provides empirical evidence in support of understanding customer VCC in health-care service delivery. However, because the data was collected from outpatients, there was no distinction regarding customers with acute and chronic conditions. Practical implications This research provides empirical evidence of a need for service providers to adopt delivery approaches that would trigger customers VCC. Health-care managers should also improve their facilities, policies and procedures and the general hospital atmosphere to enhance the service climate to drive VCC. Originality/value This study provides empirical insights to operationalize and understand some essential influencing factors of the VCC concept at the clinical encounter level in a health-care setting and contributes to the VCC and transformative service research literature. Following a quantitative research strategy, the authors offer a clinical encounter level comprehensive model of VCC in health care by integrating the customer, provider and interactional-related factors.