BRIDGING THE SERVICE QUALITY GAP IN HEALTHCARE - A COMPREHENSIVE LITERATURE REVIEW OF PATIENT EXPECTATIONS AND PERCEPTIONS

Abstract

Purpose - Satisfaction of Customers makes a business sustainable and more profitable in the competitive corporate world. Customer satisfaction enhances when the business provides quality products with affordable prices along with quality services to the customers. Hence, every business tries to provide the same to survive and compete with the key players in the market. Healthcare sector is not an exception. Healthcare sector also provides quality services to satisfy patients. However, time-to-time evaluation of quality services being provided to the patients plays a pivot role in enhancing patient satisfaction, trust and loyalty. In addition, the healthcare industry should assess the gap between the expectations of service quality and perceptions of service quality among the public. There are numerous studies on service quality gap in individual and group healthcare institutions like private hospitals, public hospitals, dental hospitals, etc. However, no study was focused on overall service quality gap in healthcare. Hence, the present study is carried with an aim to review the literature of service quality gap in healthcare. Design/Methodology/Approach - A range of studies published from 2000 to 2024 (November) on the assessment of patients’ expectations and perceptions of quality of services delivered by healthcare from popular databases like Emeralds, Taylor and Francis, PubMed, Springer, Research Gate, and Elsevier are examined for review of literature. A total of 18 papers were selected based on inclusion criteria. Findings – The study observed from the selected papers that Reliability item has greater gap followed by Responsiveness, Tangibility, Assurance and Empathy. Conclusion: This study concluded that the quality dimensions of healthcare is not focused as a priority and hence they should be considered carefully in order to improve quality of services in hospitals. The study suggests that hospital managers should take necessary actions in all quality dimensions of healthcare to improve services delivery and by means of reducing the quality gap in all dimensions of hospital services.