Determinants of facility environment and customer satisfaction in elderly care facilities in China’s provincial cities

In contemporary China, where the ageing population is expanding at a rapid rate, nursing homes are under significant pressure to deliver services of a high standard and to create comfortable environments. Nevertheless, the maintenance of elevated standards of staff cares and facilities incurs considerable expense, thereby impeding the ability to ensure resident satisfaction. In order to ensure sustainable operations, it is imperative to achieve both the enhancement of service quality and the optimization of operational efficiency. The present study aims to identify the key factors influencing resident satisfaction at different facility levels (mid-high-end and high-end) and, based on these findings, provide concrete recommendations for facility operators to implement sustainable improvements. The study utilized a questionnaire survey of users and performed Spearman’s rank correlation analysis and Quantification Type II analysis. The findings of the study indicated that factors contributing to user satisfaction encompass facility cleanliness, staff responsiveness, in-facility equipment, the quality of medical services, the quality of meals, and the overall environment. These factors have been demonstrated to be directly linked to users’ well-being and quality of life. It is therefore suggested that improving them in a balanced manner is necessary to enhance satisfaction. Furthermore, discriminant analysis using Quantification Type II revealed a discriminant accuracy rate of 87.59 % specifically for high-end facilities, clearly demonstrating the validity of the aforementioned factors as criteria for assessing user satisfaction.