Service Quality Assessment in Public Hospital in Bangkok using SERVQUAL Model

Abstract

The objective of this study is to assess service quality of public hospital by using SERVQUALmodel. The results can be used to develop guideline to improve service quality of the hospital. TheSERVQUAL model evaluates service quality from the difference between customers’ expectation andcustomers’ perception in five different dimension, which are tangible, reliability, responsiveness, assurance,and empathy. Data collection is conducted with nonprobability sampling by convenience sampling. 421data sets were collected and analyzed by factor analysis and paired t-test. Results show that patientsreported higher average expectation score than average perception score indicating that patients do notsatisfy with service received. In the other words, service quality of this public hospital does not meettheir needs. Considering each dimension of service quality, patients reported higher perception score thanexpectation score in term of “tangible” meaning that patients experienced good service quality with regardto tangible dimension. For the remaining dimensions involving reliability, responsiveness, assurance, andempathy, patients reported less perception score than expectation score meaning that they do not satisfiedwith these service quality dimensions. In summary, these findings suggested that this public hospitalcurrently cannot deliver service quality in all five dimensions. Top management can benefit from this study by reducing the gap between customers’ perception and customers’ expectation in selected dimensions toimprove service quality of the hospital.

Keywords : Service Quality Assessment / Service Quality / Hospitals / Public Hospitals /SERVQUAL