THE IMPACT OF PHYSICAL SURROUNDINGS ON PERCEPTION OF SERVICE QUALITY AND SATISFACTION OF PATIENTS IN PUBLIC HOSPITALS PAKISTAN-(KARACHI)

Abstract

Patient happiness is one of the goals of the healthcare sector. When evaluating services, consumer opinions and encounters with the provided services are very important. One of the behavioural objectives that is affected by the physical environment is customer satisfaction. (service environment). The quality of care and patient satisfaction are, however, infrequently assessed in Pakistan, particularly in public institutions. The study investigated how patients' views of service quality and satisfaction were influenced by the physical surroundings of Karachi's public hospitals. Primary data from the subjects' trips to the OPD and general wards of the Civil Hospital Karachi, Abbasi Shaheed Hospital Karachi, and Jinnah Post Graduate Medical Center of Karachi were collected using convenient sampling. Participants completed 347 questionnaires in total, which were gathered. The data was analyzed using the software SPSS. The findings showed that while exterior design had no significant effect on patient satisfaction, ambient conditions and interior design had a significant impact. Additionally, the study found that patient satisfaction is mediated by observed quality. Interior design and patient contentment are fully mediated, whereas ambient conditions and patient satisfaction are only partially mediated. Therefore, it is suggested that appropriate considerations for physical facility improvements are needed for public hospitals in Pakistan.