DIFFERENCE IN PERCEIVED QUALITY OF SERVICE AND PATIENT SATISFACTION BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND PRIVATE HOSPITALS IN MEDAN, INDONESIA

Abstract

Since the implementation of the National Health Insurance program, there has been significant growth in the number of hospitals in Indonesia, with the most notable growth occurring in private hospitals. This growth has been followed by increased competition between government hospitals (GH) and private hospitals (PH). This study aims to examine the differences in perceptions of service quality and patient satisfaction between RSP and PH. The study is analytical quantitative research with a cross-sectional design, conducted at GH and PH in Medan City in May 2025. The sample for this study consisted of 422 respondents, selected using incidental sampling techniques. Data were collected using a valid and reliable questionnaire. This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of the Health Research Department at Universitas Prima Indonesia. The study found that the majority of patients at GH perceived service quality as poor across all dimensions (>50%) and were largely dissatisfied with the services they received (53.4%). In contrast, the majority of patients at PH perceived service quality as good across all dimensions (>60%) and were generally satisfied with the services they received (89.4%). At GH, all dimensions of quality were found to be significantly related to patient satisfaction (p < 0.001), whereas at PH, only overall quality was related to satisfaction. Furthermore, there were significant differences between GH and PH in terms of the dimensions of tangibility, empathy, overall quality, and patient satisfaction, with satisfaction at PH being more than twice as high as at GH. It can be concluded that there are significant differences in the perceptions of service quality and patient satisfaction between GH and PH.