Evaluating patients' perception of service quality at hospitals in nine Chinese cities by use of the ServQual scale
10.1016/j.apjtb.2015.02.003
- Author:
Min LI
1
;
Douglas Bruce LOWRIE
1
;
Hong-Zhou LU
1
;
Cheng-Yu HUANG
2
;
Si-Yuan CHEN
2
;
Pan ZHAO
2
;
Xiang-Chan LU
3
;
Ying-Chu ZHU
4
;
Sheng-Hua HE
4
;
Xing-Hua WU
5
;
Mayila SHAYITI
6
;
Qiong-Zhen TAN
7
;
Hua-Ling YANG
8
;
Xiu-Rong WANG
9
;
Hong-Zhou LU
10
;
Hong-Zhou LU
11
Author Information
1. Shanghai Public Health Clinical Center, Fudan University
2. Chongqing Infectious Disease Medical Center
3. The Fourth People's Hospital of Nanning City, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
4. Public Health Clinical Center of Chengdu
5. Infectious Disease Hospital of Honghezhou of Yunnan Province
6. The People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region
7. The People's Hospital of Laibin City the Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
8. Affiliated Hospital of Guilin Medical College, Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region
9. The Second People's Hospital of Zhongshan City of Guangdong Province
10. Huashan Hospital Affiliated with Fudan University
11. Shanghai Medical College, Fudan University
- Publication Type:Journal Article
- Keywords:
China;
City hospital;
Evaluation;
Patients;
Service quality
- From:Asian Pacific Journal of Tropical Biomedicine
2015;5(6):497-504
- CountryChina
- Language:Chinese
-
Abstract:
Objective: To investigate patients' perception of service quality at hospitals in nine Chinese cities and propose some measures for improvement. Methods: The ServQual scale method was used in a survey involving patients at outpatient and in-patient facilities in Shanghai, Chongqing, Chengdu, Nanning, Guilin and Laibin of Guangxi, Honghezhou of Yunnan, Wulumuqi of Xinjiang and Zhongshan of Guangdong. The data collected were entered and analyzed using SPSS 20.0. Statistical analyses included descriptive statistics, factor analyses, reliability analyses, productmoment correlations, independent-sample t-tests, One-way ANOVA and regression analyses. Results: The Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin value for the factor analysis of the scale was 0.979. The Cronbach's α for the reliability analysis was 0.978. All the Pearson correlation coefficients were positive and statistically significant. Visitors to out-patient facilities reported more positive perception than visitors to in-patient facilities on tangibles (t = 4.168, P < 0.001) and reliability (t = 1.979, P < 0.05). Patients of 60 years of age and above reported more positive perception than those between 40 and 49 on reliability (F = 3.311, P = 0.010), assurances (F = 2.751, P < 0.05) and empathy (F = 4.009, P = 0.003). For the five dimensions of the scale, patients in Laibin, Guangxi reported the most positive perceived service quality, followed by patients in Shanghai. On the other hand, patients in Chongqing and Nanning and Guilin of Guangxi reported relatively poor perceptions of service quality. Standardized regression coefficients showed statistically significant (P < 0.001) positive values for all ServQual dimensions. Empathy (β = 0.267) and reliability (β = 0.239) most strongly predicted perception of service quality. Conclusions: Chinese patients perceived service quality as satisfactory. Hospitals in various regions of China should enhance their awareness and ability to serve their patients.
