Measuring Service Quality of the Pain Clinic at Ramathibodi Hospital

Abstract

Background: Evaluating gap between patient’s expectation and perception of service quality of the pain clinic through the service quality model is necessary to improve service quality, which will lead to patient’s satisfaction.
 Objective: To compare the difference between patient’s expectation and perception of service quality of the pain clinic at Ramathibodi Hospital.
 Methods: A survey of patients of the pain clinic at Ramathibodi Hospital using the service quality questionnaire. The sample consisted of 266 patients who received pain treatment services from August 11, 2016, to December 10, 2016.
 Results: Most patients were female (63.16%), married (61.28%), educational level lower than bachelor degree (57.52%), monthly income ≤ 30,000 Thai Baht (75.56%), attended treatment service more than 3 times (85.34%), and average age 56.47 ± 16.27 years. Overall expectation and perception and 4 subservice dimensions (tangible, reliability, responsiveness, and assurance) were not statistically significant. Empathy perceived higher than expectation. However, patients perceived the modern tool and equipment used in providing treatment services lower than expectation.
 Conclusions: Overall service quality and 4 sub service dimensions of tangible, reliability, responsiveness, and assurance of the pain clinic met expectation. Empathy was higher than expectation, while modern tool and equipment used in the clinic were lower than expectation.