The applicability of SERVQUAL in different health care environments.
This paper reports on a study that investigates the applicability of a modified SERVQUAL instrument as a means of measuring service quality in two types of health service environments; medical care and health care (incorporating medical, social, cognitive and emotional elements). The research confirms a four factor structure that is stable for both environments, and similar to the service quality dimensions recognised in the literature. However, the relative importance of the dimensions of quality is inconsistent for the two types of health services. These results confirm the suggestion that importance values should be part of the measurement tool. Finally, the extra diagnostic advantage achieved by the use of gap scores to measure service quality, when compared to perception only scores is demonstrated.
Dean
A M
AM
School of Business & Electronic Commerce, Department of Management, Monash University, Australia.
D000328:Adult; D001315:Australia; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D005260:Female; D019981:Health Care Sector; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006302:Health Services Research / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008389:Marketing of Health Services; D011785:Quality Assurance, Health Care / Q000379:methods*; D019035:Rural Health Services