Sustaining patient loyalty in health care: the strategic role of entrepreneurial leadership, corporate governance and service quality

Purpose – In the increasingly competitive health-care industry, ensuring high-quality service is crucial for patient satisfaction and sustained loyalty. Effective leadership and governance play a vital role in shaping health-care service delivery, yet their impact on patient experience and retention remains an area of growing interest. The purpose of this study is to examine the influence of entrepreneurial leadership and corporate governance on service quality and its subsequent effects on patient satisfaction and sustainable patient loyalty in health-care organizations. Design/methodology/approach – A total of 384 executive patients from eight major hospitals in Indonesia participated in the survey. Data was analyzed using Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling via SmartPLS 4.0. Findings – The findings of this study reveal that both entrepreneurial leadership and corporate governance significantly enhance service quality, emphasizing the importance of leadership and governance in delivering high-standard health-care services. Additionally, service quality was found to have a strong positive effect on both patient satisfaction and sustainable patient loyalty, confirming the critical role of service excellence in retaining patients. Furthermore, patient satisfaction significantly influences sustainable patient loyalty, highlighting the necessity of maintaining patient-centered care for long-term engagement. Practical implications – This study provides actionable insights for hospital leaders and policymakers to enhance leadership styles, strengthen governance mechanisms and prioritize patient-centered strategies to achieve service excellence and promote sustainable patient loyalty. Originality/value – This research contributes to the health-care management literature by offering a comprehensive model of sustainable patient loyalty, integrating key theoretical perspectives and validating the relationships between leadership, governance, service quality, patient satisfaction and loyalty.