The Application of SERVQUAL Model to the Service Quality of Medical Intensive Care Units in a Medical Center

• Main Authors: Chin-wei Lin, 林秦蔚
• Other Authors: Te-feng Yeh
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2011
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/85185276863824520715

碩士 === 中臺科技大學 === 健康產業管理研究所 === 99 === Abstract Background: Recently, following the transformation of the society, rise in national income and educational level, rapid development in medical technology, upgrading of requirements from the general public, and elevated consciousness of consumers among patients and their families, medical disputes and demand for quality service are increasing. Hospital authorities began to put emphasis on quality of service and degree of satisfaction of patients. Better medical environment and facilities, and desirable quality of medical service are needed for the acutely and seriously ill. Objective: This study used SERVQUAL scale to investigate the relationship and difference between the expectation and actual satisfaction of family members of patients to the quality of service and the main factors affecting the quality of service in the medical intensive care unit of a medical center in central Taiwan. Method: Questionnaires were given to 215 family members of patients in the medical intensive care unit of a medical center in central Taiwan. SERVQUAL scale was adjusted to investigate the expectation and satisfaction in the five aspects of medical service: tangibility, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. The gap in expectation and actual feeling was evaluated. Results: This study revealed that the gap between expectation and satisfaction in the five aspects of medical service among family members of patients was negative, implying that the actual satisfaction was lower than the expectation. The gap was the smallest in the aspect of empathy (mean -0.17). No significant gap was noted in the background of hospitalized patients and the expectation to quality of service. The basic attributes of family members other than age and education level showed no significant influence to the related variables of expectation of service quality. In the largest five gaps between expectation and actual satisfaction in the quality of medical service, the largest four were in the aspect of tangibility. The gap was the largest in “the facility and management of rest room in medical intensive care unit, modernized medical facility, clean environment, duration of visit”. The “good medical skill in physician and trustworthy” in the aspect of assurance was the fifth in the degrees of discrepancies. This was the most easily seen and judged by patients and their family members, and hence the largest gap. Conclusion: Patients in medical intensive care unit were different from those in ordinary ward in that they were transferred from emergency room (56.3%) and were severely ill and required urgent treatment. The provision of good medical environment, service, and facility is beneficial to quality of service in hospitals, promotes confidence among patients, and is a positive influence to the operation of hospitals. The results of this study hopefully provide a reference for medical institutions and the health authority for the improvement and advancement of the quality of service of medical intensive care in the future.