A survey on the quality of medical services in teaching hospitals of Arak University of Medical Sciences with SERVQUL model in Arak, 2010

Measurement of service quality is a basic prerequisite for improving quality. Studies show that consumers are in close contact with services quality better than any other group. This study was conducted with the aim of measuring service quality based on patients’ expectations and perceptions teaching hospitals in Arak, Iran.

This cross-sectional study was done on 260 patients at under auspices of Arak University of Medical Sciences. For data collection SERVQUL questionnaire was employed to measure quality of services. The reliability and validity of this questionnaire had already been confirmed by studies both in Iran and other countries.

The results showed that there were significant differences between patients’ expectations and perceptions in all dimensions of quality. The accessibility dimension constituted the most serious problem at hospitals.

The negative scores show that it is necessary to promote all quality services dimensions at hospitals. For reducing the qualitative gap among all dimensions, it is recommended that hospital managers take patients’ needs into account and provide desirable services for them.