Exploring the Gap Between Patients’ Expectations and Perceptions of Healthcare Service Quality

PURPOSE: This study aimed to explore the gap between patients’ expectations of healthcare service quality in ‎Jordanian hospitals against their perceptions of service received using SERVQUAL model. METHODS: The study used a cross-sectional design. The study data were collected randomly from 415 patients (participants) ‎who completed the SERVEQUAL questionnaire. The data were analyzed using ‎statistical procedures such as descriptive, t-test, and ANOVA. RESULTS: The results showed ‎that there is a gap between mean score of patients’ expectations of what should be available in the ‎hospital and patients’ perceptions of the service received in the hospital. Patients’ expectations were higher than their perceptions on all five SERVQUAL domains (Tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance, and Empathy). CONCLUSION: Hospital managers should take necessary actions to improve healthcare services in their hospitals with respect to all SERVQUAL domains. These actions should be directed to reduce the gap between patients’ expectation and their perceptions in order to provide services meet patients’ needs.