Measuring service quality and its relationship to future consumer behavior.
The authors adapt the SERVQUAL scale for medical care services and examine it for reliability, dimensionality, and validity in a primary care clinic setting. In addition, they explore the possibility of a link between perceived service quality--and its various dimensions--and a patient's future intent to complain, compliment, repeat purchase, and switch providers. Findings from 159 matched-pair responses indicate that the SERVQUAL scale can be adapted reliably to a clinic setting and that the dimensions of reliability, dependability, and empathy are most predictive of a patient's intent to complain, compliment, repeat purchase, and switch providers.
Wichita State University, KS.
D E
DE
Headley
S J
SJ
Miller
D000554:Ambulatory Care Facilities / Q000592:standards*; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D003625:Data Collection / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods; D008330:Management Audit / Q000379:methods; D017060:Patient Satisfaction / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000592:standards*; D011787:Quality of Health Care / Q000145:classification* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012016:Reference Values; D012044:Regression Analysis; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D014481:United States