Customers' perceptions and expectations of primary healthcare services quality in health centers of Bandar Abbas

Introduction: Quality health services section is very important because its mission
and role in health maintenance and care of community. The aim of this study was to
determine women's perceptions of current situation in health centers of Bandar Abbas
and their expectations of optimum status.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, a total of 400, fill out a questionnaire which
had been designed according to SERVQUAL instrument for measuring their
perceptions and expectations about services quality. This instrument consists of five
dimentions including tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy.
Data was analyzed using Chi-Square and analysis of variance tests, by means of
SPSS software.
Results: Majority of participants (64%) assessed the services quality moderate.
The best dimention of service quality was assurance, followed by reliability,
responsiveness and tangibles with empathy being the worst. Most of the women
(95%) believed that service quality is important and its most important dimention
is assurance followed by reliability, responsiveness, tangibles and empathy.
There were significant differences in women's perceptions and expectations in all
of the five SERVQUAL dimentions which was statistically meaningful (P<0.01).
Conclusion: Customers' perception of service quality is different regarding its
various dimentions, hence their importance is different. To improve service quality,
these issues should be considered and accordingly, determine the priorities.