Towards Improving Healthcare Quality: A Comparison of Patient Satisfaction in Public and Private Health Sectors

Abstract

This study aims to compare patient satisfaction with the quality of health care in two selected Palestinian hospitals, one governmental (Palestine Medical Complex) and the other private (Al-Arabi Hospital for Specialized Care), through a comparative analytical approach using the quantitative method, relying on the SERVPERF model, which measures five dimensions of quality: Tangibility, dependability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Data were collected from a sample of (n=390) patients and visitors from both hospitals using a standard questionnaire. The results revealed that patient satisfaction was generally average, with the government hospital showing a relative superiority. It is clear from this study that human communication and the behavior of the medical staff represent A fundamental determinant of patient satisfaction, the impact of which may exceed the availability of financial resources. The study recommends developing health policies to improve service quality, enhance the efficiency of medical and administrative teams, modernise infrastructure, and adopt a national model for measuring patient satisfaction appropriate to the Palestinian context.