Page 83 - Azerbaijan State University of Economics

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

DISCUSSION
The findings of this study provide a comprehensive examination of the impact of
service quality on patient satisfaction, offering significant insights for the healthcare
sector. Notably, the Empathy and Responsiveness dimensions were found to have the
most pronounced effect on patient satisfaction. These results align closely with
numerous studies in the existing literature. For instance, Zaim et al. (2010), in their
study conducted in Turkey, identified Empathy and Tangibles as key factors
enhancing patient satisfaction. Similarly, in our study, the Tangibles dimension was
found to be statistically significant and positively influenced patient satisfaction. This
underscores the importance of healthcare institutions investing in the physical
environment to improve patient experience. Likewise, Shabbir et al. (2016), who
conducted research on public and private hospitals in Pakistan, reported that
dimensions of service quality related to nursing and doctor care, operational
processes, and physical environment significantly contributed to patient satisfaction.
Additionally, according to Elsner, and Dennis’s (2014) research based on a simulation
model in Azerbaijan, the implementation of new technologies in the healthcare system
can be combined with a redesign of the incentive mechanism. This leads to better
outcomes at the service level. Our finding that the Responsiveness dimension plays a
prominent role in patient satisfaction supports Shabbir et al.'s emphasis on operational
processes, indicating that healthcare providers’ prompt and effective response to
patient needs enhances satisfaction levels.
However, the lack of a significant effect of the Reliability and Assurance dimensions
on patient satisfaction in our study contrasts with some findings in the literature. For
example, Ariffin et al. (2022) highlighted reliability as an important determinant of
satisfaction in their Malaysian study. This discrepancy may be attributed to
geographical, cultural, organizational differences in healthcare services, or variations
in patient expectations. Additionally, perceptions of reliability in healthcare may
evolve over time alongside patient experiences and expectations, suggesting these
dimensions’ effects might vary across contexts. The prominence of Empathy as the
strongest predictor of patient satisfaction reaffirms the critical importance of a patient-
centered approach in healthcare services. Fatima, Malik, and Shabbir (2018), in their
research conducted in Pakistan, similarly emphasized the strong relationship between
patient-centered care and satisfaction. This finding illustrates that healthcare
professionals’ attention to patients’ emotional needs and personalized service delivery
significantly enhances patient loyalty and satisfaction. Furthermore, the significant
differences in perceptions of service quality and satisfaction between male and female
patients suggest that gender influences patient experiences. This highlights the
importance of considering demographic factors in healthcare marketing and

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