A paradigm shift for medical health care to focus on a service-value approach to achieve greater patient satisfaction

The Delivery Model of Perceived Medical Service Quality Based on Donabedian's Framework

ABSTRACT

The implementation of the National Health Insurance has transformed the medical care landscape in Taiwan, rendering perceived medical service quality (PMSQ) and patient satisfaction significant focal points in medical care management. Past studies mostly focused on the technical aspects of medical care services, while overlooking the patients' perception of services and the delivery process of PMSQ in the medical care experience. This study integrated the theoretical framework of the Donabedian SPO model and the SERVQUAL questionnaire. The survey was conducted among the outpatients of three types of medical institutions in northern Taiwan: academic medical centers, metropolitan hospitals, and local community hospitals. A total of 400 questionnaires were collected, and 315 valid questionnaires remained after eliminating the incomplete ones. This study established a PMSQ delivery model to explore patients' perceptions of medical service quality. It was found that the variable, Assurance, could deliver the PMSQ and enhance the Medical outcome (MO), while improving the variable, Tangible, in medical institutions could not significantly enhance the MO. These findings emphasize the importance of healthcare institutions prioritizing the professional background, demeanor of their healthcare staff, treatment methods, and processes over tangible elements.