healthcare Article Postpartum Care Service Experience Model: A Case of Postpartum Home Visiting Services Pei-Ping Chang Department of Early Childhood Care and Education, Tzu Hui Institute of Technology, Pingtung 926, Taiwan; [email protected]; Tel.: +886-8-864-7367 (ext. 291) Received: 5 April 2018; Accepted: 15 June 2018; Published: 1 August 2018 Abstract: The choice of postpartum care methods has expanded with changes in population structure and social forms. In addition to the traditional provision of postpartum assistance by senior members of the parents’ family, recent years have also seen a rapid growth in care centers and postpartum home visiting services. Postpartum home visiting services combine the features and services of senior family members’ assistance and postpartum care centers. Therefore, special attention has been drawn to the postpartum care service experience. This study conducted a survey among mothers participating in the Postpartum Home Visiting Service Project of the Social Affairs Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government, Taiwan. The effective sample included 43 participants. Partial least squares (PLS) analysis was performed. The results indicated that the service experience model could comprehensively reflect the relation between consumer experience, experiential value, and experience satisfaction. With regard to practical implications, the results provide postpartum home visiting service providers with a better understanding of consumers’ feelings and, thus, put them in a better position to improve experience through appropriate service methods. Keywords: service experience model; postpartum care; satisfaction 1. Introduction Traditionally, postpartum care behaviors have been widely maintained in Chinese society and are considered important from the perspective of maintaining customs and one’s health. Therefore, postpartum care has not been affected or destabilized by time. Postpartum care requirements have received more attention due to changes in family structure and a low birth rate, giving rise to various new forms of postpartum care services and providing women with an expanded choice of postpartum care methods. Three types of postpartum care can be distinguished in modern Chinese society: (1) assistance from senior family members; (2) postpartum care centers; and (3) postpartum home visiting service [1,2]. Postpartum home visiting service allows for the kind of family support made possible through senior family members’ assistance, as well as the provision of newborn care, attendant support to mothers, and one-month food preparation by professional personnel from postpartum care centers. As such, a mother can enjoy a sufficient level of rest. The Postpartum Home Visiting Service Project was established by the Social Affairs Bureau of Kaohsiung City Government, Taiwan on 1 April 2013. The number of mothers who applied for the postpartum home visiting service increased from 79 in 2013 to 240 in 2014, 256 in 2015, 303 in 2016, and 341 in 2017 (Figure1), indicating a growing attention to the postpartum home visiting service. Necessity of discussing the postpartum home visiting service was the first motivation for this study. According to Pine and Gilmore [3], the economy has stepped into the era of the experience economy. Schmitt [4] proposed the concept of experiential marketing consisting of five major strategic experiential modules and suggested that experiential marketing focuses on customer experience and pays attention to the consumer context. Customers are stimulated by rational and emotional drivers. 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Literature Review 2.1. Studies on Postpartum Care According to the World Health Organization (WHO) [15], the terms “postpartum period” and “postnatal period” are often used interchangeably but sometimes separately, where “postpartum” Healthcare 2018, 6, 91 3 of 13 2. Literature Review 2.1. Studies on Postpartum Care According to the World Health Organization (WHO) [15], the terms “postpartum period” and “postnatal period” are often used interchangeably but sometimes separately, where “postpartum” refers to issues pertaining to the mother and “postnatal” refers to those concerning the baby. The period begins immediately after the birth of the baby and extends up to six weeks (42 days) after birth. Postpartum care is of high importance in Chinese society and has been