“No more tears!” A local TQM formula for health promotion

Equating the expected and perceived service quality

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to investigate patients’ views toward the perceived service quality of public and private healthcare service providers. Determinants of healthcare service quality were compared by carrying out a GAP analysis to equate perceived and expected services and examined differences in the service quality.

Design/methodology/approach

The study sample comprises 310 inpatients of public and private healthcare service providers. Self-administered questionnaires were used along a five-point Likert scale and analyzed through the Statistical Package for Social Sciences. GAP analysis was used to observe the difference between expectations and perceived service quality.

Findings

A cross-sectional study revealed significant quality gaps between the expected and perceived services of public and private healthcare service providers; conversely patients’ expectations are not fully met in both types of hospitals. Private hospitals surpassed in terms of overall perceived service quality from their counterparts. Perceived services were found better in terms of physician medical services in public sector hospitals, while rooms and housekeeping services were found better in terms of private sector hospitals.

Practical implications

The result can be used by both public and private healthcare service providers to restructure their quality management practices which could only be possible through effective management commitment, regular patients’ feedback and translucent complaint procedures.

Originality/value

The study conceptualizes the expected and perceived hospital service quality dimensions as an eight-dimensional framework. A comparison between public and private sector hospitals is made to get a better understanding about the differences in the perceived healthcare services among two sectors. Consequences of the study will aid hospital managers and policy makers to get a fuller picture of healthcare services in order to contrive enhancement practices.

PATIENTS' SATISFACTION WITH HEALTH SERVICES AT THE NATIONAL INSTITUTE OF PUBLIC HEALTH OF KOSOVA

Aim:

Purpose of the research is to assess patient satisfaction with the quality of health services provided in National Institute of Public Health of Kosova.

Methods:

Study was observational and cross-sectional. Interviews were conducted with 625 clients of IPH. Inclusion criteria for enrollment in the study were patients above 18 years old, with verbally informed consent.

Results:

In our study, access to IPH, efficacy, patient-provider interpersonal communication, and explanations regarding procedures, readiness to answer to patients need and physical settings and appearance are valued satisfactorily whereas cleanliness was rated with minimal grades. Evaluated 12 quality components, were scored with average mark 3.6.

Conclusions:

SWOT analysis, and fishbone diagram should be used on regular bases and a new position for a manager for administrative issues, is opened, complaints box and list of rights and responsibilities of patients were dislocated in a more visible place, and internal staff turnover, is introduced.

Patient satisfaction constructs

PURPOSE

The purpose of this paper is to examine the five-factor structure of patients' satisfaction constructs toward private healthcare service providers.

DESIGN/METHODOLOGY/APPROACH

This research is a cross-sectional study. A questionnaire-based survey was conducted with previous and current Bangladeshi patients. Exploratory factor analysis was employed to extract the underlying constructs.

FINDINGS

Five underlying dimensions that play a significant role in structuring the satisfaction perceived by Bangladeshi private healthcare patients are identified in this study. Practical implications - The main contribution of this study is identifying the dimensions of satisfaction perceived by Bangladeshi patients regarding private healthcare service providers.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

Healthcare managers adopt the five identified underlying construct items in their business practices to improve their respective healthcare efficiency while ensuring overall customer satisfaction.

Best practices of total quality management implementation in health care settings

Due to the growing prominence of total quality management (TQM) in health care, the present study was conducted to identify the set of TQM practices for its successful implementation in healthcare institutions through a systematic review of literature. A research strategy was performed on the selected papers published between 1995 and 2009. An appropriate database was chosen and 15 peer-reviewed research papers were identified through a screening process and were finally reviewed for this study. Eight supporting TQM practices, such as top-management commitment, teamwork and participation, process management, customer focus and satisfaction, resource management, organization behavior and culture, continuous improvement, and training and education were identified as best practices for TQM implementation in any health care setting. The article concludes with a set of recommendations for the future researchers to discuss, develop, and work upon in order to achieve better precision and generalizations.

Gearing service quality into public and private hospitals in small islands: empirical evidence from Cyprus

PURPOSE

The purpose of this research is to develop and compare some determinants of service quality in both the public and private hospitals of Northern Cyprus. There is considerable lack of literature with respect to service quality in public and private hospitals.

DESIGN/METHOD/APPROACH

Randomly, 454 respondents, who have recently benefited from hospital services in Famagusta, were selected to answer a modified version of the SERVQUAL Instrument. The instrument contained both service expectations and perceptions questions.

FINDINGS

This study identifies six factors regarding the service quality as perceived in both public and private Northern Cyprus hospitals. These are: empathy, giving priority to the inpatients needs, relationships between staff and patients, professionalism of staff, food and the physical environment. Research results revealed that the various expectations of inpatients have not been met in either the public or the private hospitals

RESEARCH IMPLICATIONS/LIMITATIONS

At the micro level, the lack of management commitment to service quality in both hospital settings leads doctors and nurses to expend less effort increasing or improving inpatient satisfaction. Hospital managers should also satisfy their employees, since job satisfaction leads to customer satisfaction and loyalty. Additionally, hospital administrations need to gather systematic feedback from their inpatients, establish visible and transparent complaint procedures so that inpatients' complaints can be addressed effectively and efficiently.

ORIGINALITY/VALUE

The hospitals need to organize training sessions based on the critical importance of service quality and the crucial role of inpatient satisfaction in the health care industry. Future studies should include the remaining regions in Cyprus in order to increase research findings' generalizability. Additionally, including other dimensions such as hospital processes and discharge management and co-ordination may provide further insights into understanding inpatients' perceptions and intentions.