Publication Date
2021
Abstract
In the United States, the most dominant industry is services, yielding the highest volume of total employment and gross domestic product. Due to this insight, academics and business professionals continue to research and apply strategies to achieve distinctive competitive advantages in the services arena. The steady growth and increasing significance of the service sector in the United States and other developed markets has resulted in a sizeable body of related research addressing a variety of issues such as service quality and its characteristics. Healthcare is an impactful service industry that has received a considerable amount of attention. In the healthcare field, studies have shown that a variety of variables impact the perception of service quality. In a highly competitive healthcare environment, it is in an organization’s best interest to provide customers the best service possible to achieve optimal service quality outcomes. This paper asserts that service quality is especially enlightening when measured before and after corrective strategy implementation. This paper applies the SERVQUAL evaluation tool to assess service quality expectations and perceptions in a healthcare setting. Particularly, this study proposes that service quality improves following a correction of service-related issues and demonstrates the significance of evaluating service quality after appropriate changes have been made. Two samples were conducted one year apart in a large Obstetrics and Gynecology office. After the first sample, this paper identifies 4 of 5 areas that needed improvement. Owners and management of the medical office implemented processes to improve weak areas following the initial sample. In the second sample, one year later, the study indicates there is evidence that corrective strategies were effective.
Included in
Health and Medical Administration Commons, Marketing Commons, Obstetrics and Gynecology Commons, Strategic Management Policy Commons