Manager and Patient Perceptions of a Quality Outpatient Service : Measuring the Gap

One of the most important quality dimensions in health care today is patient satisfaction. One way of achieving satisfaction is by understanding and meeting patient expectations in dimension of quality. Once an organisation achieves high levels of satisfaction they will realise the benefits this brings throughout the organisation. In this study the focus was on measuring the gap between the expectations of patients and managers. By using the SERVQUAL instrument, the study found that Benenden Hospital (UK) manager's over estimated the patient expectations in dimensions of reliablility and responsiveness but slightly under estimated expectations in the tangibles dimension. There was no gap identified in the empathy and assurance dimensions. This result was seen as a positive outcome although it contradicted previous health care studies that measured the same gap.