1.3 PROBLEM STATEMENT
The government of Gabon has improved the health care system in
the country through the provision of health care infrastructures, and by
increasing the number of government hospitals in the country in order to allow
more patients to have access to medical care services. However, the military
hospital seems to have increased its market share in the health industry. The
new hospital has attracted a large number of patients from various parts of the
country. There is no clear understanding of why patients have been attracted to
the military hospital. During a telephone interview conducted on 6 March 2012,
a medical personnel at the military hospital stated that patients seem to have
been satisfied with service quality provided in the military hospitals.
Moreover, the link between services delivery between doctors and nurses at the
military hospital in Gabon and patient satisfaction has not been yet
investigated before; hence these two features need to be investigated as the
study could offer a way to promoting effectiveness and profitability in medical
institutions.
1.4 PURPOSE OF THE STUDY
In health care, service quality can lead to patient
satisfaction or dissatisfaction. (Olusoji, 2009:7). Superior services provided
in hospitals often result in high levels of satisfaction. Satisfied patients
with services are more likely to repeat purchases, to remain loyal and to
follow the medical recommendations. In addition, it is worth investigating
service quality and patient satisfaction as it can enhance policies to improve
services delivery in hospitals (Olusoji, 2009:16-17). Given the importance of
service quality and customer satisfaction, the purpose of the study was to
assess the service quality of doctors and nurses at a military hospital located
in the city of Libreville in Gabon. The investigation attempted to determine if
there is a difference in how patients rate doctors and nurses on the service
quality dimensions. Insight into these findings could assist in determining
whether doctors and nurses varied significantly in terms of their level of
contribution to each service quality dimension, and which one of the groups
subsequently played the greatest role in the overall service quality provided
by the hospital. The study makes a contribution to the medical care industry
and the analysis of the empirical data will assist in determining strategies
that could be recommended to the other hospitals in Gabon to improve their
service quality and enhance their customer satisfaction.
5
1.5 OBJECTIVES
1.5.1 Primary objective
To establish the perceptions of patients regarding the service
quality received from doctors and nurses. More particularly, how they rate
doctors and nurses on the service quality dimensions.
1.5.2 Secondary objectives
· To determine how patients rate the reliability
of doctors and nurses.
· To establish how patients rate the responsiveness
of doctors and nurses.
· To determine how patients rate the assurance of
doctors and nurses.
· To establish how patients rate the empathy of
doctors and nurses.
· To establish if there is a difference in how patients
rate doctors and nurses on the service quality dimensions.
· To establish the perception of patients regarding the
tangible aspects of a military hospital in Gabon.
1.5.3 Hypotheses
The hypotheses below result from the above objectives:
H01: There is no significant difference in how patients rate the
reliability of doctors and nurses.
HA1: There is a significant difference in how patients rate the
reliability of doctors and nurses.
H02: There is no significant difference in how patients rate the
responsiveness of doctors and nurses.
HA2: There is a significant difference in how patients rate the
responsiveness of doctors and nurses.
H03: There is no significant difference in how patients rate the
assurance of doctors and nurses.
6
HA3: There is a significant difference in how patients rate
the assurance of doctors and nurses.
H04: There is no significant difference in how patients rate
the empathy of doctors and nurses.
HA4: There is a significant difference in how patients rate
the empathy of doctors and nurses.
H05: Patients do not have a positive perception of the
tangible aspects of a military hospital in Libreville, Gabon.
HA5: Patients do have a positive perception of the tangible
aspects of a military hospital in Libreville, Gabon.
| 
