Evaluation of Service Quality of Clinical Diagnostic Using the SERVQUAL and SERVPERF Models in Two Simple and Weighted Types

Hossein Mohebbi; Zahra Abbasi   Meybodi; Saadat Eslami

doi:10.18502/mshsj.v9i1.15785

Hossein Mohebbi Assistant Professor, Department of Industrial Management, School of Humanities, Meybod University, Meybod, Iran
Zahra Abbasi Meybodi Msc student in Performance Management, School of Humanities, Meybod University, Meybod, Iran
Saadat Eslami Assistant Professor, Department of Pathology, School of Medical Sciences, Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services, Yazd, Iran

DOI: https://doi.org/10.18502/mshsj.v9i1.15785

Keywords: Service quality, Clinical Diagnostic Laboratory, SERVQUAL, SERVPERF

Abstract

Background: Recently, a number of papers have discussed the importance of evaluating service quality provided to customers. The purpose of this study is evaluating service quality of clinical diagnostic in Yazd Central Laboratory from customers’ point of views using the SERVQUAL and SERVPERF models in two simple and weighted types, and also, identifying the most suitable model for service quality evaluation.

Methods: The present research was applied research in terms of purpose and descriptive-analytical in terms of method. According to Morgan's table, the statistical sample of this research included 250 people who referred to Yazd central laboratory in September 2023; they were selected by simple random sampling method and a valid and reliable questionnaire with 33 items which was distributed among them. In the next step, to analyze the data collected from the questionnaire, SPSS ₁₆ software was used to analyze Kolmogorov–Smirnov test, Student's t-test, analysis of variance, Fisher's Z test, and least squares method.

Results: The findings indicated that the expectations of service recipients are greater than their perceptions of the quality of the services received. The correlation coefficient between the overall satisfaction of the clients and the services and the level of service quality in the SERVPERF model (r = 0.7060) has a higher value than the weighted SERVPERF model (r = 0.6913), SERVQUAL model (r = 0.6890) and weighted SERVQUAL model (r = 0.6344). Moreover, the most valid models for measuring the quality of medical diagnosis services were respectively as follows: SERVPERF, weighted SERVPERF, SERVQUAL and weighted SERVQUAL.

Conclusion: Based on the research findings, it is recommended that managers consider the needs and demands of the clients in their future planning in order to improve the quality of services in medical diagnosis services, which are relatively more difficult to evaluate. Also, the level of standards required to provide health services in clinical diagnosis laboratories should be explained to the clients so that they have correct expectations and perceptions of the quality of services.