Patients' views on perceived services quality using SERVQUAL Model at educational and medical centers of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences 2013

Background: The assessment of care quality from patients' point of view is a valuable criterion for the healthcare management. This issue can help managers to identify strengths and weaknesses of an optimum care and treatment. This study was aimed to assess perceived care services in patients using SERVQUAL Model through collection of the patients' perspectives hospitalized at educational and medical centers of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences 2013.

Methods: The participants received and completed the standardized SERVQUAL scale including five evaluation dimensions, i.e. tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy. This scale was completed in two times, from the view of client expectation for service quality and the client actual perception for service quality. The service quality level was categorized based on a Likert scale ranged from "very bad to very good" and marked from (1 to 5 score).The data was analyzed using SPSS software version 21 and applied different descriptive and inferential statistic formula such as ANOVA tests for analysis. 

Findings: The results showed that total mean of the actual perception for service quality was at a good level (3.65). In comparison, the mean scores of both mentioned parts; a significant difference was found (P<0.001).The lowest gap was about empathy dimension (-0.66) and the highest gap was about reliability domain (-1.09).

Conclusion: Therefore, it is recommended to promote the quality of services and patients' satisfaction; the weaknesses, particularly regarding planning and management fields, needs to be addressed and improved.