The Expectations and Perceptions of Service quality in Orthopaedic Surgery Clinic Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital

Abstract

Introduction : This research is a cross-sectional study. The purpose is to study the expectations and perceptions of service quality of Orthopaedic Surgery Clinic at Maharaj Nakhon Si Thammarat Hospital.

Material and Methods : The samples are 236 patients who received services during the period of 1-30 November 2015.Material of this research is questionnaires.The research-used statistics are the percentage, mean, standard deviation(SD), t-test, and F-test.

Results : The study showedthat the most of samples are females; age of 20-60 years; married; Buddhist; under Grade-12 graduated; careers in agriculture, fishing, merchant, and others; and earn less than 9,000 baht per month.Most of patients were consulted with their fractures and dislocation whom needed in elective or followed up cases with the experience in 1-4 times of service receiving.The decision making of admission were made by their family or relatives or neighbors.The overall score of service quality expectation got higher than overall score of service quality perception.The factor of service assurances got the most score.The factors of marital status, the needs for service receiving, and the experiences of service expectations were effective to service quality expectation in terms of service reality.The career factor was effective to both of service quality expectation in terms of service assurances and service quality perception in terms of service reliabilities.The factor of influential resources of decision making for admission was effective to both of service quality expectation in terms of patient responses and service quality perception in terms of service assurances.Moreover,the factor of needs for services was also effective to service quality perception in terms of service assurances.               

Conclusion : Quality score of service is expected to be higher than service quality level as perceived by 5 dimensions of service quality. The orthopedic surgery clinics need to develop more quality services.