Evaluation of the Quality of Health Service Providers
The Iranian People Perspective 2014
Keywords:
quality of services; service providing centers; health systemAbstract
Introduction: Quality is the center of attention in all service providing organizations that are effective in promoting satisfaction of patients who are referred to medical centers. The aim of this study was to investigate the quality of health service providers in a case study of Qazvin, Iran, in 2014.
Methods: This descriptive study was conducted on 1,002 people who were residents of Qazvin Province (Iran) in 2014. The people were selected randomly from the population of the study area. The main variables studied were education, perceptions, expectations, and gaps in service quality. The data collection tool was the standard Servequal questionnaire. To determine the reliability of the research tool, we used Cronbach’s Alpha coefficient and the test-retest method. Statistical analyses were conducted using SPSS and the ANOVA test.
Results: The mean age of people included in the study was 32 ± 9.9 years, and the average waiting time to receive services was 73 ± 47 minutes. Hospitals and doctors' offices had the highest quality gap of -1.420 ± 0.82 and -1.01 ± 0.75, respectively. The service quality gaps in medical centers, health providers of rural area, and health providers of urban area were -0.883 ± 0.67, -0.882 ± 0.83, and -0.804 ± 0.62, respectively. There was a significant relationship between peoples' perceptions and expectations concerning the quality of health services and their educational levels.
Conclusion: The higher gaps in quality in hospitals and in doctors' offices require more attention. Managers and policy makers should consider developing and implementing plans to reduce these gaps in quality and to promote better health services in these two sectors.
References
Sunol R, Wagner C, Arah OA, Kristensen S, Pfaff H, Klazinga N. Implementation of Departmental Quality
Strategies Is Positively Associated with Clinical Practice: Results of a Multicenter Study in 73 Hospitals in
European Countries. PLoS One. 2015; 10(11): 141. doi: 10.1371/journal.pone.0141157, PMID:
, PMCID: PMC4654525.
Sohrabi R, bakhtiyari H. Quality assessment tool for the performance evaluation and analysis of evaluation
models of service quality (SERVQUAL). Scientific Convention Center, Third National Conference on
Management Practice 2007: 3(6): 1‐18.
Prattana P, Nattapan B, Patchaya M. Health Care Service Quality: Case Example of a Hospital with Lean
Implementation. POMS 23 rd Annual Conference, Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A. April 20 to April 23, 2012.
LariSemnani B, Mohebbi Far R, Shalipoor E, Mohseni M. Using creative problem solving (TRIZ) in
improving the quality of hospital services. Glob J Health Sci. 2014; 7(1): 88-97. doi:
5539/gjhs.v7n1p88, PMID: 25560360.
Gholami A, Noori A, Khojastepoor M, Asgari M, Sajadi H. Gaps in the quality of primary health care
services provided by health centers ‐ Care Nishapur city. Scientific Journal of shahed university. 2011;
(92): 1‐11.
Zhao Z, Cheng J, Xu S. A quality assessment index framework for public health services: a Delphi study.
Public health. 2015; 129: 43-51. doi: 10.1016/j.puhe.2014.10.016, PMID: 25553920.
Khamis K, Njau B. Patients' level of satisfaction on quality of health care at Mwananyamala hospital in Dar
es Salaam, Tanzania. BMC Health Serv Res. 2014; 18(14): 400. doi: 10.1186/1472-6963-14-400, PMID:
, PMCID: PMC4263110.
Bush VD, Bush AJ, Clark P, Bush RP. Girl power and word-of-Mouth Behavior in the flourishing sports
market. Journal of Consumer Marketing. 2005; 22(5): 257-64. doi: 10.1108/07363760510611680.
Gutierrez J, Navarro J, Carrion A. Linking unlearning with quality of health service through knowledge. J
BUS RES .2015; 68: 815-22. doi: 10.1016/j.jbusres.2014.11.034.
Speight J. Assessing patient satisfaction: concepts, applications, and measurement. Value in Health. 2005;
: 36-8. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4733.2005.00071.x, PMID: 16336490.
Pakdil F, Harwood TN. Patient satisfaction in a preoperative assessment clinic: An analysis using
SERVQUAL dimensions. Total Quality Management & Business Excellence. 2005; 16(1): 15-30. doi:
1080/1478336042000255622.
Dormohammadi T, Asghari F, Rashidian A. What Do Patients Expect from Their Physicians? Iran J Public
Health. 2010; 39(1): 70-7. PMID: 23112992, PMCID: PMC3468967.
Strawderman L. Human factors consideration in quality of service metrics for health care delivery, PhD
Thesis in Industrial Engineering, The Graduate School College of Engineering, The Pennsylvania State
University.2005; 3(9): 19-55.
Garrard F, Narayan H. Assessing obstetric patient experience: a SERVQUAL questionnaire. Int J Health
Care Qual Assur. 2013; 26(7): 582-92. doi: 10.1108/IJHCQA-08-2011-0049, PMID: 24167918.
Huang Y, Li S. Understanding quality perception gaps among executives, frontline employees, and
patients: the outpatient services in Taiwan hospitals. Quality Management Health Care. 2010; 19(2): 173–
doi: 10.1097/QMH.0b013e3181db647f, PMID: 20351544.
Safi MH, Fereydounfar AA, Arshi SH. Quality of Primary Health Services in the Clinics of Shomal Health
Center of Tehran. Community Health. 2014; 1(1): 54-61.
Alidoosti M, Tavassoli E, Delaram M, Najimi A, Sharifirad G. The relationship between satisfaction and
knowledge about family-doctor program in Shahr-e-Kord. Zahedan J Res Med Sci .2011; 13(6): 36-9.
Al-Momani MM. Gap Analysis between Perceptions and Expectations of Medical-Surgical Patients in a
Public Hospital in Saudi Arabia. Med Princ Pract. 2016; 25(1): 79-84. doi: 10.1159/000441000, PMID:
Padma P, Rajendran C, Lokachari PS. Service quality and its impact on customer satisfaction in Indian
hospitals: Perspectives of patients and their attendants. Benchmark Int J. 2010; 17(6): 807-41. doi:
1108/14635771011089746.
Purcărea VL, Gheorghe IR, Petrescu CM. The Assessment of Perceived Service Quality of Public Health
Care Services in Romania Using the SERVQUAL Scale. Procedia Economics and Finance. 2013; 6: 573- 85. doi: 10.1016/S2212-5671(13)00175-5.
John J, Yatim FM, Mani SA. Measuring service quality of public dental health care facilities in Kelantan,
Malaysia. Asia Pac J Public Health. 2011; 23(5): 742-53. doi: 10.1177/1010539509357341, PMID:
Chakravarty A. Evaluation of service quality of hospital outpatient department services. Medical Journal
Armed Forces India. 2011; 67(3): 221-4. doi: 10.1016/S0377-1237(11)60045-2.
Zarei A, Arab M, Froushani AR, Rashidian A, Ghazi Tabatabaei SM. Service quality of private hospitals:
the Iranian patients' perspective. BMC Health Serv Res. 2012; 2(12): 31. PMID: 22299830.
Nekoei-Moghadam M, Amiresmaili M. Hospital services quality assessment: Hospitals of Kerman
University of Medical Sciences, as a tangible example of a developing country. Int J Health Care Qual
Assur. 2011; 24(1): 57-66. doi: 10.1108/09526861111098247, PMID: 21456498.
Li M, Lowrie D, Huang C, Lu X, Zhu Y, Wu X. Evaluating patients' perception of service. quality at
hospitals in nine Chinese cities by use of the Servqual scale. Asian Pac J Trop Biomed. 2015; 5(6): 497- 504. doi: 10.1016/j.apjtb.2015.02.003.
Abedi G, Rostami F, Ziaee M, Siamian H, Nadi A. Patient's Perception and Expectations of the Quality of
Outpatient Services of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Sari City. Mater Sociomed. 2015; 27(4): 272-5. PMID:
Xu Y, Liu Y, Shu T, Yang W, Liang M. Variations in the Quality of Care at Large Public Hospitals in
Beijing, China: A Condition-Based Outcome Approach. PLoS One. 2015; 10(10): e0138948. doi:
1186/1477-7525-7-63, PMID: 19591682, PMCID: PMC2716305.
Handayani P, Hidayanto A, Indahati P, Sandhyaduhita K, Ayuningtyas D. Strategic hospital services
quality analysis in Indonesia. Expert Systems with Applications. 2015; 42(6): 3067-78. doi:
1016/j.eswa.2014.11.065.
Lin D-J, Sheu I-C, Pai J-Y, Bair A, Hung C-Y, Yeh Y-H, et al. Measuring patient's expectation and the
perception of quality in LASIK services. Health Qual Life Outcomes. 2009; 7: 63-8. doi: 10.1186/1477- 7525-7-63, PMID: 19591682, PMCID: PMC2716305.
Alijanzadeh M, Asefzadeh S, khoshtarkib H, Ghamari F, Alijanzadeh M. The Perceptions and Expectations
Survey of the People about Quality Health Services in Qazvin Province. Health Inf Manage. 2015; 12(5):
-10.
Jenaabadi H, Abili Kh, Nastizayi N, Yaghubi N .Between patients' perceptions and expectations of service
quality in Zahedan’s centers with SERVQUAL model. Payesh Journal. 2011; 10(4): 449-57.
Hekmatpo D, Sorani M, Farazi A. A survey on the quality of medical services in teaching hospitals of Arak
University of Medical Sciences with SERVQUL model in Arak, 2010. Arak Medical University Journal.
; 15(66): 1-9.
Mohammadi A, Shoghli AR. Survey on Quality of Primary Health Cares in Zanjan District Health Centers.
Journal of zanjan university of medical sciences.2009; 16(65): 89-100.
tarrahi M, Hamouzadeh P, Bijanvand M, Lashgarara B. The quality of health care services provided in
health care centers of Khorramabad using SERVQUAL model in 2010. Yafteh. 2012; 14(1): 13-21.
Ghobadi H, Mehrnoush N, Hamidkholgh G. Measuring the Quality of Services Provided for Outpatients in
Kowsar Clinic in Ardebil City Based on the SERVQUAL Model. Journal of Ardabil University of Medical
Sciences. 2014; 14(4): 379-87.
Noronesa R, Rezaian S, Moradi S. Patient satisfaction with the services of general practitioners: a cross
sectional study. Journal of Medical Ethic. 2012; 6(22): 15-23.
Sahebzadeh M, Rahimyan M. A Study of the satisfaction rate of elderly patients in general hospitals
affiliated with the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences in 2009. Teb Va Tazkieh. 2010; 20(4): 46-58.
Azizi J, Karimyar Jahromi M, Hojat M. Assessment of Darab County Villagers’ Satisfaction with Family
Doctor Functions from Different Aspects. Journal of Fasa University of Medical Sciences. 2012; 2(3): 193- 8.
Butt MM, de Run EC. Private healthcare quality: applying a SERVQUAL model. Int J Health Care Qual
Assur. 2010; 23(7): 658-73. doi: 10.1108/09526861011071580, PMID: 21125961.
Rohini R, Mahadevappa B. Service Quality in Bangalore Hospitals - an Empirical Study. Journal of
Services Research. 2006; 6(1): 16-23.
Bakar C, Akgün HS, Al Assaf A. The role of expectations in patient assessments of hospital care: an
example from a university hospital network, Turkey. Int J Health Care Qual Assur. 2008; 21(4): 343-55.
PMID: 18785460.
Arasli H, Ekiz EH, Katircioglu ST. Gearing service quality into public and private hospitals in small
islands: empirical evidence from Cyprus. Int J Health Care Qual Assur. 2008; 21(1): 8-23. PMID:
Gorji A, Akbari A, Sarkhosh S. Using the Service Quality Gap's Model (SERVQUAL) in Imam Khomeini
Teaching Hospital. Health management. 2013; 51(16): 11-8.
Mohammadnia M, Delgoshaei Survey on Nursing Service Quality by SERVQUAL at Tehran Social
Security Organization Hospitals. Hospital journal. 2012; 12(1): 63-72.
Taner T, Antony J. Comparing public and private hospital care service quality in Turkey. Int J Health Care
Qual Assur Inc Leadersh Health Serv. 2006; 19(2-3):i-x. doi: 10.1108/13660750610664991, PMID:
Schröder A, Ahlström G, Larsson BW. Patients’ perceptions of the concept of the quality of care in the
psychiatric setting: a phenomeno graphic study. J Clin Nurs. 2006; 15(1): 93-102. doi: 10.1111/j.1365- 2702.2005.01241.x, PMID:16390528.
Suki NM, Lian JCC, Suki NM. Do patients' perceptions exceed their expectations in private healthcare
settings? Int J Health Care Qual Assur. 2011; 24(1): 42-56. doi: 10.1108/09526861111098238, PMID:
Sihuin-Tapia EY, Gómez-Quispe OE, Ibáñez-Quispe V. Satisfaction of hospitalized patients in a hospital in
Apurimac, Peru. Rev Peru Med Exp Salud Publica. 2015; 32(2): 299-302. PMID: 26338391.
Cordero Tous N, Horcajadas Almansa Á, Bermúdez González GJ, Tous Zamora D. Perceived quality in
hospitals of the Andalusia Healthcare System. The case of neurosurgery departments. Rev Calid Asist.
; 29(6): 311-9. PMID: 25534568.
Al-Borie HM, Damanhouri AM. Patients' satisfaction of service quality in Saudi hospitals: a SERVQUAL
analysis. Int J Health Care Qual Assur. 2013; 26(1): 20-30. doi: 10.1108/09526861311288613, PMID:
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2020 KNOWLEDGE KINGDOM PUBLISHING
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.
