Investigating the Relationship between Health Transformation Plan and Service Quality Using SERVQUAL Model

Two items of the Health Transformation Plan have been specifically related to increasing the quality of visit and Hoteling services. So far, no study has examined the effect of the Health Transformation Plan on the perceived quality of hospital services in Kermanshah. This study was performed with the aim of investigating the relationship between the Health Transformation Plan and the quality of health services.

This is a descriptive study and examines the 22 areas of perception and expectation of patients from the services provided in hospitals in Kermanshah using SERVQUAL model. Significance of the relationship between the Health Transformation Plan and each of the quality variables has been determined using an appropriate test. Data analysis was performed using descriptive statistics, t-test (to test hypotheses), and Friedman test (to rank each of the factors related to service quality components). Analyzes were performed in SPSS software.

283 people (mean age: 37.7 years) participated in the study. The negative gap between patients' perceptions and expectations before and after the Health Transformation Plan indicates that patients' perception was that the quality of services was poor; but this gap has narrowed since the implementation of the Health Transformation Plan. In Imam Reza Hospital, among the quality indicators, assurance (3.61 and P = 0.001) ranked the highest and tangible factors (2.50 and P = 0.001) ranked the lowest. In Farabi Hospital, responsiveness quality indicators (3.38 and P = 0.001) ranked the highest and tangible factors (2.61 and P = 0.001) ranked the lowest. The results obtained using t-test show that the Health Transformation Plan has had a significant effect on all dimensions of quality.  

Although the Health Transformation Plan did not completely eliminate dissatisfaction, it reduced its extent and improved the quality perceived by individuals; therefore, changes in the way health services are provided can still improve people's perceived quality and increase their satisfaction.