Service Quality and Patient Satisfaction : An Empirical Study in Anuradhapura City Area’s Private Hospitals

Abstract

Understanding customers’ views on service quality is importance for any service provider. In private hospitals health care facility would always attract customers. Today private hospitals need to provide reliable service to satisfy patients’ needs. Thus, patients’ perceptions, especially about service quality, naturally, define customers’ level of satisfaction. This thesis focused on service quality and patient satisfaction: An empirical study in Anuradhapura city area’s private hospitals. The topic was chosen because of the lack of research in this type of field in the Anuradhapura area. In this study independent variable was Service Quality and dependent variable was Patient Satisfaction. Using the 20-item SERVQUAL instrument (Parasuraman, Zeithaml & Berry, 1985), a survey was conducted at a private hospital in Anuradhapura city area. The researcher developed questionnaire to collect important information. Population was patients who were in Anuradhapura District and sample was selected from patients of Anuradhapura city area’s private hospitals. Data were collected from 100 patients in private hospitals in Anuradhapura city area. The researcher utilized descriptive statistics, hypothesis testing correlation analysis and regression analysis a as data analysis techniques using the SPSS- 16 Version (Statistical Package for Social Science) as the primary data analysis tool. The results of this study showed that there was a positive relationship between service quality dimensions & patient satisfaction and finally based on the results of this study recommendations have been given for relevance private health care service providers.