Competition in health care services has been considered as a core component in the consumer value mechanism. In Romania, the emergence of private ophthalmology services has as outcome a positive-sum competition which focuses on prevention, diagnosis and treatment of eye related diseases and disorders and improved value. The purpose of this paper was to provide an insight into the knowledge used by consumers when they make a decision regarding a private ophthalmology service with a specific interest on competition. A research model was elaborated and included quality, price, and satisfaction as components influenced by competition from the consumers' perspectives. The model was validated using Structural Equation Modeling in SmartPLS. The sample was made up of 120 respondents and the sampling technique was quota. The structural model revealed that competition has a positive impact on satisfaction and explained 74% of its variance and also that competition has a positive impact on price and explained 7% of the variance. Moreover, using IPMA matrix analysis, the most powerful item of competition construct with an influence on satisfaction was the one related to the reputation of the private ophthalmology organization. Nonetheless, the key to gain competitive advantage stands in providing meaningful value to consumers using differentiation features such as high prices, reputation, and awareness on the services offered, greater availability, and the most important feature, innovation.
Keywords: consumer perceived competition; price in health care services; private ophthalmology services; satisfaction in health care services.