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Nurana Sadıgova, Magsud Mirzayev: Service Quality as a Determinant of Patient Satisfaction: An
Empirical Study in the Healthcare Sector

emotional needs. Fatima, Malik, and Shabbir (2018) investigated the relationship
between hospital healthcare service quality, patient satisfaction, and loyalty within
Pakistan’s private healthcare sector. The study collected data from 611 patients in six
private hospitals located in Islamabad, focusing on five service quality dimensions:
physical environment, customer-friendly environment, communication, privacy and
safety, and responsiveness. Findings indicated that improved healthcare service
quality significantly enhances patient satisfaction, which in turn strengthens patient
loyalty. Moreover, patient satisfaction was found to mediate the relationship between
service quality and loyalty. These results underscore the strategic importance of high-
quality, patient-centered care in fostering loyalty in private healthcare settings.
The convergence of findings from healthcare, tourism, and retail sectors indicates that
certain service quality dimensions particularly empathy, reliability, and
responsiveness are universally critical in shaping satisfaction. While environmental
tangibles may carry more weight in tourism and retail, healthcare settings emphasize
human interaction, reassurance, and care continuity. The implication for healthcare
administrators is clear: investments in staff training, communication skills, and
service responsiveness can yield higher satisfaction and, by extension, loyalty and
better health outcomes. The relational components of service delivery matter
profoundly in environments where patients are vulnerable and expect emotional
support in addition to clinical care.

MATERIALS AND METHODS
In this study, customer satisfaction was measured using a quantitative approach based
on the SERVQUAL model, which is widely recognized for evaluating dimensions of
service quality. To measure customer satisfaction, the study employed the 'Customer
Satisfaction' scale developed by Choi, Cho, Lee, Lee, and Kim (2004) in their research
titled 'The Relationships Among Quality, Value, Satisfaction and Behavioral Intention
in Health Care Provider Choice: A South Korean Study', which has proven reliability
and validity. A questionnaire using a 5-point (The amount I paid for the service was
appropriate, The quality of the service I received exceeded the amount I paid, I would
recommend the healthcare institution from which I received the service to others, If I
need medical services in the future, my first choice will be the same healthcare
institution, I will speak positively about the healthcare institution from which I
received the service).
Likert scale was administered to assess participants’ perceptions and expectations of
service quality. The collected data were analyzed through correlation and regression
techniques using SPSS in order to identify the significant determinants of customer
satisfaction.

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