Application of Structural Equation Modeling to determine Emergency Department patient satisfaction drivers

Methods The empirical material is provided by the Unit of Patient-Perceived Quality through a recently published telephone survey. The responses were clustered in categories through an exploratory factor analysis and assessed for construct validity (Cronbach’s alpha). The five hypotheses were analysed further by the use of a two-step structural equation modeling approach as prescribed by Anderson and Gerbing in 1988. First step involves a confirmatory factor analysis to assess validity of a base line model (measurement model) and ensures that the constructs are distinct from each other (discriminant validity). Second step is the alteration of the measurement model into a structural model, which allows for testing of the constructs’ interconnections.