QUALITY OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES IN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS OF PESHAWAR, PAKISTAN: A COMPARATIVE STUDY USING SERVQUAL

Abstract

Globalization trends have made patients willing to pay even more for quality healthcare
services and there is no second opinion that patients' satisfaction comprehends in terms
of receiving quality healthcare. Countries like Pakistan are still unable to rank
themselves in the competition of quality health care services as 'quality' in healthcare is
a vague concept here both from providers and patients' perspectives. Moreover the
health care system of Pakistan is facing challenges of inequities and inadequacy both in
terms of delivery and access of quality services. Appropriate assessment of the
healthcare services quality and developing mechanisms are mandatory. The objective
of this study was to quantify the healthcare quality in the hospitals of Pakistan using the
modified SERVQUAL instrument (α=0.92). A convenient based sample (n=500) was
comprised of patients from ten hospitals both in public and private sectors located in
Peshawar, Pakistan. The results of the study identified quality GAPS in various
dimensions of healthcare services. Besides private sector hospitals have comparatively
low quality Gaps as compared to public sector hospitals however bridging up the
existing gaps are suggested in both the sectors through continuous improvement across
a range of services. There is a need for matching the patients' expectations with the
contribution of healthcare services providers in Pakistan to be competitive globally in
the industry.