THE IMPLICATION OF HEALTH SERVICE QUALITY TOWARDS PATIENT OVERALL SATISFACTION AND THE IMPACT OF SOURCES OF EXPECTATION TO THE OVERALL EXPECTATION

This paper aimed to explore the service quality using the variables which were identified by dagger, et al. (2007) in Hierarchical Model of Health Service Quality and probed its interaction to the patient satisfaction in Mutiara Bunda Women and Child Hospital Salatiga. The SERVQUAL method was employed as the mean to evaluate the service quality. Additionally, the sources of expectation were also being investigated to see how the patients set their initial expectation. The quantitative method would be used through a questionnaire to the patient in the hospital. The result indicated that the perception-expectation gap of health service quality in some extent significantly contributed to the overall satisfaction. The previously-determined sources of expectation also significantly contributed in shaping the overall expectation of patient. This research would contribute to the academical and practical realm in investigating the connection between service quality and customer satisfaction in the health care service industry. Furthermore, this research exhibited the novelty in which the new variables were applied in assessing the service quality by finding out the gap score. This would also increase the awareness of the hospital to improve the service quality in order to improve patient satisfaction which would lead to loyal patient cultivation. Keywords: expectation, health care, satisfaction, service quality