International Journal of Educational Research and Social Sciences (IJERSC)
Vol. 7 No. 5 (2026): October 2026 ( Indonesia - Cambodia )

The Effect of Word of Mouth, Patient Experience, and Cooperation On Patient Trust, With Psychological Commitment As A Mediator and Switching Cost In Hospitals

Edmond Rukmana Wikanta (Universitas Respati Indonesia, Master of Hospital Administration Program, Indonesia)
Enrico Adhitya Rinaldi (University of Muhammadiyah, Prof. DR. HAMKA Faculty of Medicine, Indonesia)
Achda Ferdians (Universitas Respati Indonesia, Master of Hospital Administration Program, Indonesia)
Cahyo Kusumo Wijyoyo (Diponegoro University, Semarang, Central Java, Indonesia)



Article Info

Publish Date
06 Nov 2026

Abstract

This study aims to analyze the influence of Word of Mouth (WOM), patient experience, and cooperation on patient trust, with psychological commitment as a mediator and switching cost as a moderator at Diponegoro National Hospital (DNH), Indonesia. The sample comprised 304 outpatients who had visited at least twice. Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) was applied to examine the relationships among variables. Results reveal that cooperation has the most significant effect on psychological commitment and patient trust. WOM influences trust indirectly through psychological commitment, while patient experience directly influences trust but not psychological commitment. Switching cost positively moderates the relationship between WOM and trust and negatively moderates the relationship between patient experience and trust. These findings underline the importance of interpersonal cooperation and psychological bonding, enhanced by social recommendations and switching cost influences, in building patient trust. The study offers managerial implications for hospital quality improvement and patient loyalty strategies. The novelty of this research lies in the development of a conceptual model that integrates communication, patient experience, interpersonal relationships, and psychological factors to build patient trust in a hospital. This differs from previous studies, most of which only examined the influence of patient trust. Patient trust is a critical foundation for sustainable healthcare services and patient loyalty.

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Journal Info

Abbrev

go

Publisher

Subject

Education Environmental Science Law, Crime, Criminology & Criminal Justice Social Sciences Other

Description

International Journal of Educational Research and Social Sciences (IJSERSC) is to provide a research medium and an important reference for the advancement and dissemination of research results that support high-level research in the fields of Educational Research and Social Sciences. Original ...