Measuring the three process segments of a customer's service experience for an out‐patient surgery center
International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance
ISSN: 0952-6862
Article publication date: 8 February 2008
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this research is to develop an alternative method of measuring out‐patient satisfaction where satisfaction is the central construct. The Gap Model operationalized by SERVQUAL is widely used to measure service quality. However, the SERVQUAL instrument only measures expectations (resulting from the pre‐process segment of the service experience) and perceptions (resulting from the post‐process segment). All three segments should be measured. The lack of proper segmentation and methodological criticisms in the literature motivated this study.
Design/methodology/approach
A partial least squares (PLS) approach, a form of structural equation modeling, is used to develop a framework to evaluate patient satisfaction in three service process segments: pre‐process, process, and post‐process service experiences.
Findings
Results indicate that each process stage mediates subsequent stages, that the process segment is the most important to the patient and that the antecedents have differing impacts on patient satisfaction depending where in the process the antecedent is evaluated.
Research limitations/implications
Only one out‐patient surgery center was evaluated. Patient satisfaction criteria specific to hospital selection are not included in this study.
Practical implications
Results indicate what is important to patients in each service process segment that focus where ambulatory surgery centers should allocate resources.
Originality/value
This study is the first to evaluate patient satisfaction with all three process segments.
Keywords
Citation
Wicks, A.M. and Chin, W.W. (2008), "Measuring the three process segments of a customer's service experience for an out‐patient surgery center", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 21 No. 1, pp. 24-38. https://doi.org/10.1108/09526860810841138
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2008, Emerald Group Publishing Limited