Service Quality Gaps in the Provision of Care to Surgical Patients: a Cross-Sectional Study in the Northwest of Iran

Abstract

Introduction: The evaluation of service quality is a key measurement which provides the necessary information for effective decision making and providing high quality care. This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the service quality gap for the provision of care from the perspective of surgical patients hospitalized in a teaching hospital in the Northwest of Iran in 2015. Methods: In this descriptive cross-sectional study a total of 300 patients and 101 nurses were selected by random sampling method. The data regarding patients’ expectations and perceptions of the quality of healthcare services were collected using the SERVQUAL questionnaire. Also, the nurses’ demographic data were assessed using the demographic data tool. Results: The mean and standard deviation of the patients’ expectations and perceptions of the quality of healthcare services were 66.59)8.52) and 51.81(11.97), respectively. In all dimensions of the quality of healthcare services, the patients’ perceptions were lower than their expectations. The greatest gap was observed in the dimensions of assurance and responsibility and the lowest gap was reported in the domains of reliability and empathy. There were statistically significant relationships between the nurses’ age, work experiences in surgical wards, professional experiences of nurses, patients’ income level and the gap in the quality of healthcare services. Conclusion: Despite great efforts directed at the field, the healthcare system still faces numerous challenges in the provision of high quality healthcare services to the patients. The health system should support low-income people and employ professional and experienced nurses for improving the quality of healthcare services.

The barriers to observing professional ethics in the practice of nursing care from nurses’ viewpoints

“…24 In the healthcare system, patient satisfaction is the main factor determining the quality of healthcare services and ethical performance. 25,26 Although in the current study excessive expectations of the patients and their companions were reported as barriers in observing the professional ethics standards from nurses' viewpoints, the findings of recent service quality gaps study revealed that the patients’ perceptions of health care services also are lower than their expectations. 26 In the study by McCabe, 27 patients were discontented with empathy, communication, attention, and friendly communication from the nurses.…”

“…25,26 Although in the current study excessive expectations of the patients and their companions were reported as barriers in observing the professional ethics standards from nurses' viewpoints, the findings of recent service quality gaps study revealed that the patients’ perceptions of health care services also are lower than their expectations. 26 In the study by McCabe, 27 patients were discontented with empathy, communication, attention, and friendly communication from the nurses. Moreover, the excessive expectations of patients and their relatives are partly due to the lack of receiving suitable information from the nurses during hospitalization.…”

Application of the QFD-fuzzy-SERVQUAL methodology as a quality planning tool at the surgical centre of a public teaching hospital

“…Even when compared to other sectors, the health sector must manage the quality of its services more strictly, as it directly affects the population's living conditions and wellbeing. The provision of quality health services, therefore, has a positive impact Junior et al BMC Medical Informatics and Decision Making (2022) 22:8 on the economy, which in turn benefits the population as a whole; leading to the conclusion that improving health services is an absolute priority [1].…”

“…The present article proposes a hybrid QFD-fuzzy-SERVQUAL approach as a decision support tool for the quality planning of the HUOL surgical centre. In order to develop such approach it was necessary to take the following, it will be necessary to take the following methodological procedure: (1) elaborating and validating the SERVQUAL questionnaire; (2) identifying the main deficiencies of the surgical centre in the perception of the medical team through the application of SERV-QUAL and fuzzy logic; (3) carrying out the construction of the 'house of quality' , through the integration of the QFD-fuzzy-SERVQUAL tools; (4) performing the analysis of the engineering requirements through the 'house of quality' and fuzzy logic; and v) developing an action plan proposal for the surgical centre quality planning, resulting from the QFD-fuzzy-SERVQUAL integration.…”

Application of The QFD-fuzzy-SERVQUAL Methodology as a Quality Planning Tool at the Surgical Centre of a Public Teaching Hospital

“…Even when compared to other sectors, the health sector must manage the quality of its services more strictly, as it directly affects the population's living conditions and wellbeing. The provision of quality health services, therefore, has a positive impact on the economy, which in turn benefits the population as a whole; leading to the conclusion that improving health services is an absolute priority 1 .…”