Consumer value in complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) health care services

Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) is a fast growing health care service warranting further research to understand its place in modern healthcare. This study investigated what consumers of CAM value from their healthcare experiences. The research adopted an interpretive approach using in-depth interviews with 12 CAM consumers. Seven consumer value components were identified 1) quality of care, 2) treatment efficiency, 3) physical environment, 4) social (esteem) value, 5) spiritual value, 6) ethics (natural aspect), 7) play (relaxation, leisure activities). Findings indicate that CAM consumers evaluate the value of their healthcare experience primarily on quality of care (which revolved around an empowering partnership) and treatment efficiency (such as treatment results and treatment ease of use and customisation) with the physical environment playing a small role. It was through valuing these experiences that the CAM consumer then began to value the other consumer value components – spiritual value, social value, ethics and play. We propose a consumer value model that is relevant to the CAM health care setting, and conclude that the key aspects that CAM consumers value has managerial implications for both CAM and mainstream health providers.

Chinese abstract补充和替代医学(CAM)是一项快速发展的医疗保健服务，因此需要进一步研究，以了解其在现代医疗保健中的作用。 本文研究CAM消费者对其医疗保健体验的评价。 采用诠释性研究法，对12名CAM消费者进行了深度访谈。 消费者关注的七项因素是：1)护理质量；2）治疗效果；3）物质环境；4）社会价值(自尊心)；5）精神价值；6）道德(自然方面)；7）玩乐(放松、休闲活动)。 研究结果表明，CAM消费者主要关注护理质量(主要是增权益能的合作关系)和治疗效果(例如治疗的结果和治疗方案的易用性和个性化)，而物质环境也占到了小部分的比例。 正是在这些体验的基础上，CAM消费者才开始注重其它因素，如精神价值、社会价值、道德和玩乐。 因此，本文提出了一个针对CAM医疗护理的消费者价值模型，并得出结论认为，CAM消费者注重的主要因素对CAM和主流的医疗提供商都有管理借鉴意义。