The role of human capital and psychological capital in linking employee-customer exchange to employee service quality in medical tourism

Abstract

Purpose – This study aims to investigate the role of Employee-Customer Exchange (ECE) in enhancing Employee Service Quality (ESQ) through Human Capital (HC) and Psychological Capital (PC) as mediators. Design/methodology/approach – The statistical population was the employees and physicians who work in international patient departments (IPDs) in Iran. The sampling method was simple random. Data were collected via a questionnaire. We collected 366 IPD employees’ opinions. The structural equation modeling method via SEM-PLS software has been adopted to analyze the research model. Findings – The results indicate that employee-customer exchange positively affects ESQ via PC aspects (resilience, hope, self-efficacy and optimism) and HC. PC and HC positively influence ESQ. Originality/value – The results provide a novel understanding of the mechanisms of interaction between employees and tourists via PC and HC in IPDs that have not been addressed in the existing literature. By examining these relationships, this research provides valuable insights for researchers and managers for optimizing ESQ and enhancing the competitive advantage in medical tourism. © 2025 Emerald Publishing Limited