Assessment of Healthcare Quality of Patients with Congenital Hypothyroidism Using the Service Gap Model (SERVQUAL) in Mazandaran Province

Background and Objective:perceptions and expectations of the patients mainly determine healthcare quality. Therefore, thepresent study aimed to assesshealthcare service quality of patients with congenital hypothyroidism using the service gap model (SERVQUAL) in Mazandaran Province. Materials and Methods:This was an applied,retrospectiveand correlational study. Statistical population consisted of 156 parents of patients with congenital hypothyroidism identified throughout a screening program from 2006 to 2013. Sample size was estimated as 119 using Krejcie-Morgan Table. Data collection tools were two standard questionnaires, namely Patient Perception Questionnaire (22 items) and Patient Expectation Questionnaire (22 items). Validity and reliability of these questionnaires were confirmed. Collected data was analyzed using t test and Freedman test with SPSS 20. Findings: the findings showed relatively desirable perception of parents of patients with congenital hypothyroidism towards dimensions of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness and assurance of healthcare services in Mazandaran Province. Moreover, parents had high expectations towards tangibles, reliability, reliability, responsiveness and assurance of healthcare services in Mazandaran Province. There was also an undesirable or negative gap between expectations and perceptions of parents of patients with congenital hypothyroidism with regard to dimensions of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy of healthcare services in Mazandaran Province. In the end, dimensions of perception and expectations were rated and different ranks were determined for the dimensions. Conclusion:There was a gap between perceptions and expectations of parents of patients with congenital hypothyroidism with regard to dimensions of tangibles, reliability, responsiveness and assurance of health care services. It is essential to make plans, monitor and control healthcare services and satisfy requirements and expectations of the patientsin order to resolve this gap.

کلیدواژه ها:

service quality ، patient ، congenital hypothyroidism ، SERVQUAL