The role of expectations in patient assessments of hospital care: An example from a university hospital network, Turkey

Abstract

Purpose

The aim of this paper is to document a study, in which the SERVQUAL scale was used to evaluate hospital services, conducting a preliminary assessment of patient attitudes regarding the important aspects of service dimensions.

Design/methodology/approach

The SERVQUAL scale was implemented into routine use at the Baskent University Hospitals Network in Baskent, Turkey. The study consisted of 550 randomly chosen patients who presented to any member hospital in that network during January and February 2006 and received treatment as inpatients or outpatients at those healthcare facilities. The SERVQUAL scale was utilised to evaluate hospital services.

Findings

A questionnaire was completed by a total of 472 (86.0 per cent) patients. The perceived scores of the patients were higher than expected for an ordinary hospital but lower than expected for a high‐quality hospital. The highest difference between the perceived service score and the expected service score was found at the Alanya Application and Research Center in Alanya, Turkey.

Originality/value

The paper demonstrates the use of the SERVQUAL scale in measuring the functional quality of the hospitals assessed.

Citation

Bakar, C., Seval Akgün, H. and Al Assaf, A.F. (2008), "The role of expectations in patient assessments of hospital care: An example from a university hospital network, Turkey", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 21 No. 4, pp. 343-355. https://doi.org/10.1108/09526860810880144