The Influence of Service Delivery System Effectiveness on Perceived Service Quality in Public Hospitals in Cross River State

Abstract

This paper examined the role of service delivery system (SDS) effectiveness on the perception of service quality in public hospitals. Specifically, this study examined the effect of four SDS effectiveness indicators (viz., service coordination effectiveness, effectiveness of frontline employees’ role performance, effectiveness of employee adaptability to individual customers’ needs, and service process control effectiveness) on clients’ perception of service quality in various public hospitals. Structured self-administered questionnaires were used in collecting data from a convenient sample of clients/patients who were either visiting the hospitals to see a doctor or leaving after being attended to by a doctor (final n = 276). Results of data analysis and test of hypotheses using multiple linear regression analysis techniques confirm the positive influence of the four dimensions of SDS investigated on perceived service quality. It was concluded that a well-designed and properly-managed SDS which incorporates the dimensions considered in this study can enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of service delivery in public hospitals, as well as service providers’ performance.