Impact of Service Quality on the Satisfaction of Patients in Primary Health Care Centres in Erode District

Abstract

The present study aims to identify the service gap and relationship between the patients' expectation and perception in primary health care centres' service performance. Fourteen upgraded primary healthcare centres were selected through the simple random sampling technique and 300 sample respondents were used in the study. From the analysis, all the selected variables such as response, assurance, empathy, reliability and tangibility are highly influenced expectation and perception level of patients in utilizing health care centre. The analysis of the model, from the viewpoint of the expectation and perception among the patients, suggests that the variables such as response, assurance, empathy, reliability and tangibility showed significant impact on the expectation and perception of the patients. The study suggested that the periodical assessment is essential to prove the standard of quality of services. It helps to fulfil the expectation of patients in utilising PHC. At the earlier, the policy makers should set up the standard for primary health centre.