Journal of

Background and Aim: The provision of high-quality services is considered as a prerequisite to the success of responsible organizations. Using SERVQUAL model, the present article seeks to delve into the quality of services provided in outpatient clinics as judged by patients in case-study hospitals throughout Tehran.

Materials and Methods: This is a cross-sectional descriptive research in which 242 subjects were studied at the outpatient clinics under investigation throughout Tehran using a standardized questionnaire named SERVQUAL (1988).

Results: The results of a t-test revealed a meaningful difference between the patients' perception and their expectation about 5 factors (tangible elements, reliability, assurance, accountability and collaboration) affecting the quality of services in clinics. The patients rated ‘assurance' as the most important factor (4.41) and ‘accountability' as the least important of the 5 factors (2.21).

Conclusion: The results indicate that the application of SERVQUAL model enables hospital managers to evaluate the quality of services as evaluated by patients as their most important clients and enhance the quality of such services through proper planning and removal of deficiencies.

Background and Aim: Growing the number of private institutions offering health care and fierce competitive market conditions in the private hospitals industry cause to pressure these hospitals to provide high-quality services. The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of service quality on patient satisfaction in private hospitals of the Guilan province. 
Materials and Methods: Based on standard model of Büyüközkan et al (2011) a new dimension professionalism to SERVQUAL model was added that has used six dimensions including tangibles, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy and professionalism as the dimensions of service quality. The number of samples was 360 patients hospitalized in four private hospitals and a standard questionnaire was used to assess the quality of services. Pearson Correlation Coefficient and Simple and Multiple Linear Regression was used to analyze the data and then by using ANOVA and Duncan’s and by Fuzzy Analytical Hierarchy Process technique, ranking of private hospitals was performed.
Results: Four dimensions: tangibles, responsiveness, empathy and professionalism on patient satisfaction have been found to be effective while Components of trust and assurance in private hospitals of the Guilan province had no significance effect.
Conclusion: Based on the effects of service quality dimensions except trust and assurance recommend that hospitals can increase patient satisfaction if they pay special attention to patient in empathy, updating facilities and technology in tangibles, fast response to patient in responsiveness, employing professional and skilled human resources in professionalism dimensions.