The assessment of service quality in private hospitals in Amman area using the gap approach

The main purpose of this study is to investigate the difference between patients' perceptions of service quality offered by Amman private hospitals and patients' expectations. The methodology is based on the gap model approach to assess service quality along SERVQUAL's five dimensions. A questionnaire survey was developed to target all private hospitals in Amman totalling (39) that accommodate 150 beds or more. Out of (300) questionnaires, (264) were valid for analysis, with a response rate of 88%. The research findings showed that a significant difference exists between customers' expectations and their perceptions of service quality. Moreover, no statistically significant differences between expectations and perceptions of quality attributes were found according to customer segments except for the customers' age segment. Future research should be directed toward smaller size hospitals offering a variety of medical services not covered by this research.