Patients perception of service quality in Orthotics and Prosthetics Department at a selected university

Abstract

Interest in orthotics and prosthetics has grown considerably over the last decade. South Africa is experiencing a shortage of registered orthotic and prosthetic specialists, and this poses a problem for patients who require artificial devices. In this sector, the most important strategy for orthotists and prosthetists is to obtain and maintain patient expectations and perception of service quality. Customer satisfaction and service quality are very important concepts that organisations must understand in order to remain competitive in business and hence grow. It is therefore vital for organisations to know how to measure these constructs from the patients’ perspective in order to better understand their needs and hence satisfy them. The aim of this study is to assess patients’ perceptions and expectations of service quality at Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics Department at a selected University in KwaZulu-Natal. The objectives are; to identify patient’s expectations in terms of the delivered services provided at the Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics department; to ascertain the perceptions of patients’ towards the services provided at the Medical Orthotics and Prosthetics department and to measure the gap between patients’ perceptions and expectations of service quality using a modified version of the SERVQUAL model. The instrument used to assess the patients’ perceptions of service quality was the SERVQUAL questionnaire, measuring expectations and perceptions according to the five service quality dimensions. One hundred and twenty patients were surveyed using the SERVQUAL questionnaire. The respondents were selected using non-probability sampling within which convenience sampling was applied. The data was analysed using descriptive and inferential statistical techniques. The study shows that patients' expectations of service quality exceeded their perceptions of the five service quality dimensions used in the SERVQUAL questionnaire. The smallest dimension gap score proved to be tangibles, while the largest gap score of the study proved to be assurance followed by responsiveness. Therefore, it is recommended that the selected (MOP) department attend to these gaps and ensure that the necessary strategies are implemented so that patients receive a high level of service quality as expected.