Linking Meal and Foodservice Quality to Patient Satisfaction in Outsourced Hospital Settings
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63719/johm.v23i1.235Keywords:
meal quality, foodservice quality, patient satisfaction, plate waste, outsourced hospital foodserviceAbstract
Background: Patient satisfaction is an important measure of healthcare quality, nutritional outcomes, and overall service performance, especially in hospitals where foodservice settings are outsourced. Despite improvements in meal and service quality, high levels of plate waste suggest underlying dissatisfaction. With plate waste serving as a mediator, while patient appetite and length of hospital stay as moderating factors, this study aims to construct a conceptual framework that explains how meal and foodservice quality affect patient satisfaction in outsourced hospital food services. The study focuses on three public hospitals located in Klang Valley, Malaysia.
Methods: This paper proposes a theoretical framework based on the Patient-Centred Care Model (PCCM) and Expectation-Disconfirmation Theory (EDT). Data will be collected from hospitalised patients in three public hospitals with outsourced foodservice in Klang Valley, Malaysia using validated survey instruments. The associations between the proposed constructs will be examined using a cross-sectional quantitave design, validated measurement instruments, and Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modelling (PLS-SEM).
Results: The proposed framework anticipates that improved meal and foodservice quality will positively influence patient satisfaction, with plate waste partially explaining this relationship. Furthermore, patient appetite and hospital length of stay are expected to strengthen or weaken these associations.
Conclusion: The conceptual framework provides a foundation for future research on outsourced hospital foodservice, aiming to enhance patient satisfaction, reduce food waste, and optimise nutritional care. Emphasising culturally relevant, responsive, and feedback-driven foodservice systems is essential for improving patient-centred outcomes and overall service quality in hospital settings.
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