Understanding International Students' Perspective of Health Service Quality: A Cross-Sectional Study in a Hungarian University.

Purpose: Understanding patient's preferences is important to delivering good quality services. Patients' feedback provides healthcare providers with valuable information about the services provided. The increasing number of international students enrolling in Hungarian Universities raises the need to ensure the quality of services meets international students' requirements, which includes healthcare. This study aimed to assess service quality in the University Health Center (UHC) from the international student's point of view to be used to improve the quality of services. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the university health center. We used a mixed methods approach to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. We used the importance-performance analysis (IPA) for quantitative analysis to understand expectations and perceptions in service research. The qualitative analysis was conducted from responses to reflection questions. The qualitative data were then analyzed using thematic analysis. Results: 437 international students participated in the study, but only 402 (91.99%) were analysed. The gaps between the importance and performance of service quality were negative in all dimensions (P-value < 0.001). This suggests that there is an unmet need for student expectations and university health center performance. From the Importance factor, the highest and lowest were related to safety (4.54 ± 0.56) and efficiency (4.31 ± 0.66) dimensions. The Performance factor's highest and lowest mean scores were also related to safety (4.22 ± 0.72) and efficiency (3.91 ± 0.87), respectively. From qualitative analysis, there are two major themes several secondary themes from the thematic analysis of free-text responses were identified. Conclusion: The importance and performance analysis could provide useful information to university policymakers about university health center service quality. There is a need for improvement and obviating the importance-performance gaps, especially in the efficiency dimension. Decision-makers can use the IPA analysis results to allocate limited resources more effectively, giving special attention to possible organizational weaknesses for further direction.

Intimate partner violence survivors' reported experiences of discrimination in mental health treatment settings.

Research indicates that survivors of intimate partner violence (IPV) face substantial stigma and discrimination, with varying impacts based on demographic factors such as race and income. This study explored perceived discrimination among 88 IPV survivors across different racial backgrounds and income levels in mental health settings. Participants completed a mixed-method electronic survey assessing discrimination experiences related to survivor status, income, and race within mental health treatment. Results revealed high levels of perceived discrimination based on survivor status among both racially minoritized and majoritized survivors. However, racially minoritized survivors reported greater racial discrimination and associated stress within mental healthcare settings. Regardless of income level, all survivors reported significant discrimination experiences. Qualitative analysis highlighted factors perceived as helpful or unhelpful within mental health settings. This study underscores the need for further research on socioeconomic influences on stigma experiences among IPV survivors and suggests implications for provider training to better support survivors, especially those from diverse racial backgrounds.

Unraveling the quality of implementation of sexual and reproductive health projects among adolescents and youths in low-income regions: a case study of the JADES 2 project in Niger in 2021.

Introduction: many young people globally grapple with early pregnancies and sexually transmitted diseases (STD), especially in regions like Africa and particularly Niger due to high poverty rates. Various sexual and reproductive health (SRH) projects aim to address these challenges. This study evaluated the JADES 2 project's implementation of SRH services provided focusing on the quality of these services in Niger in 2021. Methods: a cross-sectional evaluative study was conducted based on Donabedian and Bruce's theory from March 10 to August 15, 2021, in Niger. The evaluation was carried out through the analysis of supervision data, administration of questionnaires, and semi-structured interviews in 9 Integrated Health Centers and Youth-Friendly Centers. Across these sites, 203 adolescents and young people, as well as 9 healthcare workers involved in providing SRH services, were interviewed. The composite indicator in the field developed by the World Health Organization (WHO) in 2000 was used. Results: the quality score estimated for the project was 67% indicating that the services provided was of good quality. The majority (56%) of surveyed people were very satisfied with the services received, and 65% were aware of at least two methods of preventing Sexually transmitted infections (STIs) and three methods of preventing early pregnancies. Conclusion: the SRH services implemented are of acceptable quality. The study identified gaps in the process of service provision, particularly regarding confidentiality and the availability of inputs and medications.

The New Reform of the National Health System in Morocco: An Opportunity to Meet the Challenges and Improve the Practice of Anesthesiology.

The health sector in Morocco has undergone major changes in recent years, thanks to the reform of the national health system. This reform aims to improve accessibility and the equitable distribution of care throughout the country and enhance the quality and safety of health services. Anesthesia plays an important role in improving patients' quality of life and reducing the risks associated with surgical procedures. However, anesthetic practice in Morocco faces several challenges, including territorial disparities, unequal access to anesthetic services, financial constraints, a shortage of qualified staff, insufficient continuing education, and the need for appropriate administrative and legal frameworks regarding current anesthesiology practice. The reform of the Moroccan national health system has the potential to significantly advance the practice of anesthesia in Morocco. Indeed, this reform includes a number of measures that could help to improve access to anesthesia services, enhance the quality of care, ensure patient safety, and promote research in this field. Its success will depend on the effective implementation of planned measures and the ability to overcome potential obstacles.

Exploring Consumers' Negative Electronic Word-of-Mouth of 5 Military Hospitals in Taiwan Through SERVQUAL and Flower of Services: Web Scraping Analysis.

BACKGROUND: In recent years, with the widespread use of the internet, the influence of electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) has been increasingly recognized, particularly the significance of negative eWOM, which has surpassed positive eWOM in importance. Such reviews play a pivotal role in research related to service industry management, particularly in intangible service sectors such as hospitals, where they have become a reference point for improving service quality. OBJECTIVE: This study comprehensively collected negative eWOM from 5 military hospitals in Taiwan that were at or above the level of regional teaching hospitals. It aimed to investigate service quality issues before and after the pandemic. The findings provide important references for formulating strategies to improve service quality. METHODS: In this study, we used web scraping techniques to gather 1259 valid negative eWOM, covering the period from the inception of the first review to December 31, 2022. These reviews were categorized using content analysis based on the modified Parasuraman, Zeithaml, and Berry service quality (PZB SERVQUAL) scale and Flower of Services. Statistical data analysis was conducted to investigate the performance of service quality. RESULTS: The annual count of negative reviews for each hospital has exhibited a consistent upward trajectory over the years, with a more pronounced increase following the onset of the pandemic. In the analysis, among the 5 dimensions of PZB SERVQUAL framework, the "Assurance" dimension yielded the least favorable results, registering a negative review rate as high as 58.3%. Closely trailing, the "Responsiveness" dimension recorded a negative review rate of 34.2%. When evaluating the service process, the subitem "In Service: Diagnosis/Examination/Medical/Hospitalization" exhibited the least satisfactory performance, with a negative review rate of 46.2%. This was followed by the subitem "In Service: Pre-diagnosis Waiting," which had a negative review rate of 20.2%. To evaluate the average scores of negative reviews before and during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, independent sample t tests (2-tailed) were used. The analysis revealed statistically significant differences (P<.001). Furthermore, an ANOVA was conducted to investigate whether the length of the negative reviews impacted their ratings, which also showed significant differences (P=.01). CONCLUSIONS: Before and during the pandemic, there were significant differences in evaluating hospital services, and a higher word count in negative reviews indicated greater dissatisfaction with the service. Therefore, it is recommended that hospitals establish more comprehensive service quality management mechanisms, carefully respond to negative reviews, and categorize significant service deficiencies as critical events to prevent a decrease in overall service quality. Furthermore, during the service process, customers are particularly concerned about the attitude and responsiveness of health care personnel in the treatment process. Therefore, hospitals should enhance training and management in this area.

Findings From a National Survey of Older US Adults on Patient Willingness to Use Telehealth Services: Cross-Sectional Survey.

BACKGROUND: Telehealth (telemedicine and telepharmacy) services increase access to patient services and ensure continuity of care. However, few studies have assessed factors that influence patients' willingness to use telehealth services, and we sought to investigate this. OBJECTIVE: This study aims to examine respondents' (aged between 45 and 75 years) willingness to use telehealth services (telepharmacy and telemedicine) and the correlates of the willingness to use telehealth services. METHODS: We administered a cross-sectional national survey of 1045 noninstitutionalized US adults aged between 45 and 75 years in March and April 2021. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to identify demographic and health service use correlates of self-reported willingness to use telehealth services. RESULTS: Overall willingness to use telemedicine was high (674/1045, 64.5%). Adults aged 55 years and older were less willing to use telemedicine (aged between 55 and 64 years: odds ratio [OR] 0.61, 95% CI 0.42-0.86; aged 65 years or older: OR 0.33, 95% CI 0.22-0.49) than those younger than 55 years. Those with a regular provider (OR 1.01, 95% CI 1-1.02) and long travel times (OR 1.75, 95% CI 1.03-2.98) were more willing to use telemedicine compared to those without a regular provider and had shorter travel times, respectively. Willingness to use telemedicine services increased from 64.5% (674/1045) to 83% (867/1045) if the service was low-cost or insurance-covered, was with their existing health care provider, or was easy-to-use. Overall willingness to use telepharmacy was 76.7% (801/1045). Adults aged older than 55 years were less willing to use telepharmacy (aged between 55 and 64 years: OR 0.57, 95% CI 0.38-0.86; aged 65 years or older: OR 0.24, 95% CI 0.15-0.37) than those younger than 55 years. Those who rated pharmacy service quality higher were more willing to use telepharmacy (OR 1.06, 95% CI 1.03-1.09) than those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Respondents were generally willing to use telehealth (telemedicine and telepharmacy) services, but the likelihood of their being willing to use telehealth decreased as they were older. For those initially unwilling (aged 55 years or older) to use telemedicine services, inexpensive or insurance-covered services were acceptable.

Service Quality and Related Factors in Primary Health Care Services: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Primary health care services aim to prevent diseases and improve health efficiently and effectively. This study measures perceived service quality in a primary healthcare organization and examines the effect of personality traits on service quality. The cross-sectional study population comprised individuals over the age of 18 who applied to the Bingöl Central Community Health Centre. A total of 460 participants were included in the study between November 2018 and March 2019. The participants completed a face-to-face questionnaire that included socio-demographic characteristics, the SERVQUAL Scale, and an abbreviated form of the revised Eysenck Personality Questionnaire. This study is based on doctoral research in public health. The study found median values for personality trait sub-dimensions as follows: neuroticism: 2, psychoticism: 2.65, extraversion: 4, and lying: 5. The SERVQUAL Score was -0.02. The study revealed that the quality of primary health care services did not meet the participants' expectations. The study findings also indicated that age, educational attainment, and extraverted and psychotic personality traits were significantly associated with the satisfaction of service quality expectations (p < 0.05). It is recommended to provide primary health care services in facilities with good physical characteristics, with sufficient and competent health personnel, and in a timely and accurate manner to improve service quality.

From e-service quality to behavioral intention to use e-fitness services post COVID-19 lockdown: When a crisis changes the social mindset.

Lockdowns resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic forced fitness centers to quickly adapt their entire offering to an online format. The subsequent health situation facilitated the maintenance of the online offer and has been a paradigm shift for sports centers. Success in the nowadays situation requires a proper understanding of what factors influence e-service quality and how these factors behave in relation to consumer satisfaction, attitudes toward online fitness services, and behavioral intentions. This research was conducted in April 2020, with 745 participants (492 women, 253 men) completing the Carlson and O'Cass e-service quality evaluation battery. The results showed that e-service quality during the lockdowns predicted attitudes toward the digital platforms and behavioral intentions, and e-service quality predicted attitudes and behavioral intentions. However, attitudes did not predict behavioral intentions; the possible influence of subjective norms and low perceived control in this particular situation is discussed. When offering services on digital platforms, fitness service managers must take into account the importance of the quality of the e-fitness service, but also the social context in which it is offered. Psychosocial functioning in times of crisis influences users' perceived control and their future intention to use online services.

Service quality: perspective of people with type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension in rural and urban public primary healthcare centers in Iran.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to assess the service quality (SQ) for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and hypertension in primary healthcare settings from the perspective of service users in Iran. METHODS: The Cross-sectional study was conducted from January to March 2020 in urban and rural public health centers in the East Azerbaijan province of Iran. A total of 561 individuals aged 18 or above with either or both conditions of T2DM and hypertension were eligible to participate in the study. The study employed a two-step stratified sampling method in East Azerbaijan province, Iran. A validated questionnaire assessed SQ. Data were analyzed using One-way ANOVA and multiple linear regression statistical models in STATA-17. RESULTS: Among the 561 individuals who participated in the study 176 (31.3%) were individuals with hypertension, 165 (29.4%) with T2DM, and 220 (39.2%) with both hypertension and T2DM mutually. The participants' anthropometric indicators and biochemical characteristics showed that the mean Fasting Blood Glucose (FBG) in individuals with T2DM was 174.4 (Standard deviation (SD) = 73.57) in patients with T2DM without hypertension and 159.4 (SD = 65.46) in patients with both T2DM and hypertension. The total SQ scores were 82.37 (SD = 12.19), 82.48 (SD = 12.45), and 81.69 (SD = 11.75) for hypertension, T2DM, and both conditions, respectively. Among people with hypertension and without diabetes, those who had specific service providers had higher SQ scores (b = 7.03; p = 0.001) compared to their peers who did not have specific service providers. Those who resided in rural areas had lower SQ scores (b = -6.07; p = 0.020) compared to their counterparts in urban areas. In the group of patients with T2DM and without hypertension, those who were living in non-metropolitan cities reported greater SQ scores compared to patients in metropolitan areas (b = 5.09; p = 0.038). Additionally, a one-point increase in self-management total score was related with a 0.13-point decrease in SQ score (P = 0.018). In the group of people with both hypertension and T2DM, those who had specific service providers had higher SQ scores (b = 8.32; p < 0.001) compared to the group without specific service providers. CONCLUSION: Study reveals gaps in T2DM and hypertension care quality despite routine check-ups. Higher SQ correlates with better self-care. Improving service quality in primary healthcare settings necessitates a comprehensive approach that prioritizes patient empowerment, continuity of care, and equitable access to services, particularly for vulnerable populations in rural areas.

Development and validation of Malaysian one stop crisis center service quality instrument (OSCC-Qual) for domestic violence management.

One Stop Crisis Center (OSCC) is a multi-sectorial center aimed to provide medical, social, legal, police and shelter services to survivors of domestic violence, rape, sexual assault, sodomy and child abuse. Although OSCCs have been established for almost three decades in different parts of the world including in Malaysia, there is a lack of a validated instrument to measure the service quality rendered in OSCCs. A validated instrument known as OSCC-Qual was developed using a 5-stage approach where (1) in stage 1, group discussions were conducted among all authors to identify potential items for the instrument; (2) in stage 2, content validation was performed by 13 experts using content validity index and modified kappa; (3) in stage 3, exploratory factor analysis was performed by 141 healthcare staff with experience in managing OSCC cases to validate the items as well as to identify the number of factors in the instrument; (4) in stage 4, confirmatory factor analysis was performed by 110 domestic violence survivors to ascertain the validity of the factors and items retained in stage 3 and (5) in stage 5, forward and backward translation into local Malay and Chinese languages was performed. Results: In stage 1, a total of 42 items were identified. No item was deleted in stage 2. In stage 3, a total of 7 factors (i.e., "information provision", "competency of staff", "professionalism", "supportive environment", "attitude of staff", "multi-sectorial coordination" and "tangibles") were identified. Four items were deleted due to poor factor loading. In stage 4, another 3 items were iteratively removed due to poor factor loading. Discriminant validity was good. Conclusion: With the availability of the 7-factor and 35-item OSCC-Qual instrument, it is hoped that the efficiency of OSCC in achieving its philosophical objectives after three decades of implementation can be unraveled and remedial actions can be taken, if necessary.

Understanding consumers' continuous-use intention of crowdsourcing logistics services: Empirical evidence from China.

Crowdsourcing logistics-based O2O (online to offline) has been increasingly implemented to help individuals or merchants tackle down the problem of intra city instant delivery in China. However, since insufficient control is imposed on free couriers, consumers are subjected to certain risks generated by the uneven service quality provided by free couriers, such that the continuous-use intention to adopt crowdsourcing logistics may be affected in an unexpected manner. A sampling survey was carried out in China's first- and second-tier cities, with 292 valid questionnaires collected. On that basis, the corresponding hypotheses were tested using the partial least squares (PLS) method. The findings of this study revealed that trust, perceived value, and satisfaction positively contributed to continuous-use intention, where trust contributed the most. Perceived risk exerted a significant negative effect on continuous use intention. Trust is capable of notably reducing perceived risk. Crowdsourcing logistics service quality is the critical driving variable of perceived value and satisfaction. Perceived risk has a negative moderating effect on satisfaction-continuous-use intention relationship, showing that the higher the perceived risk, the weaker the effect of satisfaction on continuous-use intention. Given perceived risk, a conceptual model was built by integrating e-CSI model (e-Customer Satisfaction Index Model) and PAM-ISC model (Post-acceptance Model of IS Continuance Model). From the integration, the findings of this study are expected to provide decision-making basis for crowdsourcing logistics platforms to help solve the "last mile" delivery problem.

Measuring the impact of dental service quality on revisit intention using an extended SERVQUAL model.

Background: The pursuit of quality services can lead to both service enhancement and increased motivation to visit dental centers for oral health treatment. Aims: The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of dental center service quality factors on revisit intention among adult patients by applying an extended service quality model (SERVQUAL). Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted between September and November 2023 in the outpatient waiting areas and clinical settings of Umm Al-Qura University Dental Teaching Hospital (UQU-DTH). A sample of 355 patients was invited by the convenience sampling method. The data was collected through a validated Arabic version of the extended SERVQUAL questionnaire. A hierarchical regression analysis was used to assess the incremental effects of the extended SERVQUAL factors on the intention of patients to revisit the UQU-DTH while controlling for demographic variables. Cronbach alpha was used to examine the internal consistency of each model factor. Results: A total of 330 completed responses were received, with a 93% response rate. The findings indicated that demographic variables such as age and level of education contribute to some extent but become negligible when the extended SERVQUAL factors are included in the model. Moreover, the extended SERVQUAL model factors substantially improved the model. Three factors were found to positively and significantly affect the revisit intention, namely, "staff-related factors," "cost-effectiveness," and "responsiveness." Overall, the model explained 65.6% of the variance in the revisit intention (R2 = 0.656, p < 0.001). Conclusion: The findings present a unique model that may be used to better understand the factors that influence patients' intentions to revisit dental centers in an educational setting. Additionally, it identified elements that dental center quality management needs to prioritize and address.

Multi-angle perception and convolutional neural network for service quality evaluation of cross-border e-commerce logistics enterprise.

The development of cross-border e-commerce logistics services has injected new vitality into the development of international trade, and therefore has become a new hot spot in theoretical research. In order to ensure the healthy development of cross-border e-commerce, it is urgent to build a set of scientific and effective evaluation mechanisms to scientifically evaluate the logistics service quality of cross-border e-commerce. Multi-angle perceptual convolutional neural network is a framework for service scene identification of cross-border e-commerce logistics enterprises based on deep convolutional neural network and multi-angle perceptual width learning. In this article, both shallow features and deep features were input into the deep perception model (DPM) to obtain a set of distinguishable features with causal structure, which was used to completely describe the high-level semantic information of cross-border e-commerce logistics enterprise services. Among them, DPM mainly adopts the fusion strategy of shallow feature and deep feature. Meanwhile, the feature representation is input into the width learning pattern recognition system for training and classification, so as to evaluate the service quality of cross-border e-commerce logistics enterprises. The multi-angle perceptual convolutional neural network can effectively solve the problems of high similarity between service classes of cross-border e-commerce logistics enterprises and large differences within the class, and achieve better generalization performance and algorithm complexity than support vector machine, random forest and convolutional neural network.

Importance-Performance Analysis of Clinical Forensic Services Quality at Bhayangkara Hospital Pekanbaru, Indonesia.

Background: Service quality improvement efforts must focus on the utilisation of resources for continuous quality improvement. The importance-performance analysis (IPA) method is useful in finding service quality items that require corrective action. This study implemented the IPA method to obtain items that should be prioritised in improving the quality of a hospital's clinical forensic services. Methods: A cross-sectional study of 284 clinical forensic patients at Bhayangkara Hospital, Pekanbaru, Indonesia was conducted. Self-administered and paper-based questionnaires, specifically the modified service quality (SERVQUAL)-based questionnaire, were used as the study instruments. Twenty-two service quality items were used as indicators and they were divided into five dimensions of service quality: i) reliability, ii) responsiveness, iii) assurance, iv) empathy and v) tangibility. The data were analysed using the IPA method. Results: The results showed that only seven items had a gap and a level of conformity that met the expectations of clinical forensic patients. Improvements in service quality should prioritise four items: i) providing a more private examination room for clinical forensic patients, ii) improving healthcare workers' understanding of patient needs, iii) improving the readiness of healthcare workers to conduct examinations and iv) enhancing the clarity of information about examination procedures. Conclusion: The IPA method yielded several high-priority items that need to be improved; therefore, the hospital must focus on improving the quality of clinical forensic services.

Medical service quality evaluation based on LDA and sentiment analysis: Examples of seven chronic diseases.

Objective: In this article, we investigate how chronic noncommunicable disease (CND) patients evaluate the medical service, and what obstacles exist in this process, which is useful for hospitals to improve efficiency and enhance patient satisfaction. Methods: Based on the total number of CND patients in China, 7 CNDs were selected as the evaluation objects, and then selected the Haodaifu website as the data source, crawled 15,682 medical service reviews, then the 9 themes were analyzed by the LDA theme model. The evaluation index system of six indicators was constructed based on quality management theory. The binary long short-term memory model was used to analyze the sentiment, and the entropy-valued, TOPSIS and gray correlation model was implemented for medical service quality evaluation; the barrier model was used to find out the key factors limiting medical services. Results: (a) Hypertension was rated at a good level in the degree of gray correlation closeness, bronchitis was rated at a low level and the rest were at an intermediate level. (b) The first two overall barriers were the hospitalization process and registration services which occupy about 30%, respectively. This implies that hospitals should focus on providing registration services and inpatient settings in the future. Conclusion: To promote hospitals to provide better services for patients with CNDs and improve patient satisfaction with medical care. And it is necessary to optimize medical services fundamentally by optimizing the inpatient process and improving the registration process to improve efficiency.

Situation analysis of the quality of primary health care services in Pakistan.

Background: Primary health care services to promote the mental and physical health of communities include preventive, promotive, curative, general hygiene, and nutritional elements. Aim: To assess the quality of service delivery at primary healthcare settings in Punjab, Pakistan. Methods: Quantitative surveys were conducted at 106 health facilities: 92 basic health units (BHUs) and 14 rural health centres (RHCs) across Punjab in 2020. Data from the survey were supplemented with information from observations by the researchers and all data were analysed using SPSS version 25. Findings: All the 7 district health authorities surveyed had monthly targets for number of normal deliveries and the outpatient department. Systems for safe transportation and storage of medicines were deficient except in 2 districts. Anti-venom and anti-rabies vaccines were either limited or not available at most of the health units visited. Some 14% of clinical equipment examined at the BHUs and RHCs were non-functional, and no BHU had ultrasonic machines to improve the quality of antenatal care. Sterilization of surgical instruments was unsatisfactory at most health units. Several key positions at BHU and RHC were vacant. Most health units did not have fence and their main buildings were in poor condition. Conclusions: Several gaps were identified at the primary healthcare level in Punjab that need to be addressed to improve the quality of service delivery.

Moderating Effects of Individual Traits on the Association Between Nature and Patient Wait Experiences.

OBJECTIVES: We empirically investigated to what extent plants in the emergency department (ED) waiting areas influence patient wait experiences (i.e., anxiety, perceived service quality, and perception of wait time) depending on individual differences in cognitive thinking styles and one's bonds with the natural world. BACKGROUND: Positive effects of nature on patient experiences in healthcare environments are well established by empirical research findings. However, evidence is scarce on the impact of nature on patient wait experiences and the roles of patient traits often related to their backgrounds. METHODS: A within-subjects study was conducted (N = 116) with two virtually built ED waiting rooms: with versus without indoor and outdoor plants. RESULTS: Findings confirmed that plants lower anxiety and improve perceptions of service quality and wait time. Cognitive thinking style significantly moderated how plants affected patient wait experiences. Although participants with higher connectedness to nature showed more positive responses to the nature condition, connectedness to nature did not significantly affect the association between nature and wait experiences. CONCLUSIONS: This study contributes to the existing body of knowledge on nature's effects in healthcare environments by examining the roles of individual differences in patients' and visitors' cognitive styles and connectedness to nature. Results highlighted the impact of these differences in patient experiences for effective implications of nature in waiting areas of healthcare facilities.

Factors That Influence Patient Satisfaction With the Service Quality of Home-Based Teleconsultation During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Survey Study.

BACKGROUND: Ontario stroke prevention clinics primarily held in-person visits before the COVID-19 pandemic and then had to shift to a home-based teleconsultation delivery model using telephone or video to provide services during the pandemic. This change may have affected service quality and patient experiences. OBJECTIVE: This study seeks to understand patient satisfaction with Ontario stroke prevention clinics' rapid shift to a home-based teleconsultation delivery model used during the COVID-19 pandemic. The research question explores explanatory factors affecting patient satisfaction. METHODS: Using a cross-sectional service performance model, we surveyed patients who received telephone or video consultations at 2 Ontario stroke prevention clinics in 2021. This survey included closed- and open-ended questions. We used logistic regression and qualitative content analysis to understand factors affecting patient satisfaction with the quality of home-based teleconsultation services. RESULTS: The overall response rate to the web survey was 37.2% (128/344). The quantitative analysis was based on 110 responses, whereas the qualitative analysis included 97 responses. Logistic regression results revealed that responsiveness (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] 0.034, 95% CI 0.006-0.188; P<.001) and empathy (AOR 0.116, 95% CI 0.017-0.800; P=.03) were significant factors negatively associated with low satisfaction (scores of 1, 2, or 3 out of 5). The only characteristic positively associated with low satisfaction was when survey consent was provided by the substitute decision maker (AOR 6.592, 95% CI 1.452-29.927; P=.02). In the qualitative content analysis, patients with both low and high global satisfaction scores shared the same factors of service dissatisfaction (assurance, reliability, and empathy). The main subcategories associated with dissatisfaction were missing clinical activities, inadequate communication, administrative process issues, and absence of personal connection. Conversely, the high-satisfaction group offered more positive feedback on assurance, reliability, and empathy, as well as on having a competent clinician, appropriate patient selection, and excellent communication and empathy skills. CONCLUSIONS: The insights gained from this study can be considered when designing home-based teleconsultation services to enhance patient experiences in stroke prevention care.

The Effects of Patient-Centered Communication on Patient Engagement, Health-Related Quality of Life, Service Quality Perception and Patient Satisfaction in Patients with Cancer: A Cross-Sectional Study in Türkiye.

INTRODUCTION: Patient-centered communication is a type of communication that takes place between the provider and the patient. OBJECTIVES: It is aimed to reveal the effects of patient-centered communication on patient engagement, health-related quality of life, perception of service quality and patient satisfaction. METHOD: The study was conducted by applying multiple regression analysis to the data obtained from 312 patients with cancer treated in a training and research hospital affiliated to the Ministry of Health in Diyarbakir, Türkiye. RESULTS: More than half of the patients were female and had stage 4 cancer. Different types of cancer were detected (breast cancer, cancer of the digestive organs, lymphatic and hematopoietic cancer, cancer of the genital organs, cancer of the respiratory organs, etc.). It can be stated that the average values obtained by patients from patient-centered communication and its sub-dimensions are high. There are positive, moderate and low and significant relationships between the overall patient-centered communication and patient engagement, patient satisfaction, service quality perception and quality of life. It was statistically revealed that patient-centered communication positively affected patient engagement, health-related quality of life, service quality perception, and patient satisfaction. CONCLUSION: Patient-centered communication positively affects various short and medium-term health outcomes and this study offers suggestions for improving patient-provider communication.

Examining the influence of organizational commitment on service quality through the lens of job involvement as a mediator and emotional labor and organizational climate as moderators.

This study investigates the impact of organizational commitment and job engagement on service quality, while integrating the influences of organizational climate and emotional labor. Utilizing data from 427 participants, acquired via structured questionnaires, the research employed the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for analysis. The findings reveal that heightened job engagement and organizational commitment significantly enhance service quality, primarily through reinforcing employees' trust in their organization. A favorable organizational climate is instrumental in strengthening employees' affiliation with their organization, consequently leading to superior service provision. Furthermore, the capability to effectively regulate emotions emerges as a critical factor in both job engagement and the quality of service. The study advocates for augmenting job engagement and organizational commitment, cultivating a supportive workplace atmosphere, and equipping employees with resources for efficient emotional management. These strategies are proposed to substantially improve service quality. The insights derived from this research provide essential directives for managers striving to achieve service excellence.