Dimensions of Healthcare Quality Services Gaps in the Ghanaian Private Health Sector– An Overview of Concepts, Antecedents and Associated Literature

Abstract

The concept of service quality gap (SQG) is the difference between client’s intrinsic expectations and perceived quality of services delivered which may be positive gap (where services delivered exceeded expectations) or negative gap (where services delivered were expectations) due to weakened inner system processes This paper focuses on the review of concepts, antecedents and associated literature related to healthcare service quality gaps. Customer satisfaction antecedent is prima facie service quality. Therefore a measurement of service quality becomes the fulcrum of establishing customer satisfaction or the gap of it. Healthcare service quality dimensions of measurement have an omnibus classification into the functional quality and technical quality. While technical quality ( Curing quality) in the health care sector refers primarily to the technical accuracy of the medical diagnoses and procedures or the conformance to standard operating medical procedures or professional specifications, functional quality engenders the ‘ How’ or manner or caring quality of service delivery to patients (Lam, 1997). It outlines the research work of notable scholars and academic in the area of healthcare service quality and the generic concept of general service quality. A cross-sectoral overview and historical perspective and service quality gap were highlighted. We also examine contexts both core and tangential to the discourse and provide insights into health services in Ghana and private healthcare givers as well as SERVQUAL critiques and their justification Keywords: Healthcare, Quality, Services, Gaps, Concepts, Antecedents, SERVQUAL, Critiques