A STUDY ON PATIENT SATISFACTION TOWARDS THE QUALITY OF SERVICES OFFERED IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS OF MADURAI DISTRICT

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International Journal of Management (IJM)
Volume 11, Issue 7 July 2020, pp.1802-1812, Article ID: IJM_11_07_163
Available online at https://iaeme.com/Home/issue/IJM?Volume=11&Issue=7
ISSN Print: 0976-6502 and ISSN Online: 0976-6510
DOI: https://doi.org/10.17605/OSF.IO/A2GTZ
© IAEME Publication Scopus Indexed
A STUDY ON PATIENT SATISFACTION
TOWARDS THE QUALITY OF SERVICES
OFFERED IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS OF
MADURAI DISTRICT
Dr. K. Kalaichelvi
Assistant Professor and Head, P.G. & Research Department of Commerce,
Government Arts and Science College for Women, Orathanadu, Tamil Nadu, India.
ABSTARCT
According to the hospital industry, service quality and patient satisfaction are
crucial concepts. The majority of people in India, particularly the poor, struggle to find
high-quality healthcare at a price they can afford and a location they can go to. In order
to comprehend the effects of individual dimensions and the degree to which people are
satisfied with the services provided by government hospitals in the Madurai district, this
study has been done. The entire nation is undergoing a demographic and environmental
shift that is increasing the burden of disease. The medical equipment and services
offered by government hospitals are essential. Patients who have visited government
hospitals in the Madurai district provided the data that was used. A study was conducted
to gauge patient happiness, and the results show that there is still much room for
improvement in the service quality. The study found that responsiveness, along with
empathy and reliability, is the most crucial quality component.
Key words: Health care, Service quality, Patient satisfaction, responsiveness, empathy,
reliability.
Cite this Article: K. Kalaichelvi, A Study on Patient Satisfaction Towards the Quality
of Services Offered in Government Hospitals of Madurai District, International Journal
of Management (IJM), 11(7), 2020, pp. 1802-1812.
https://iaeme.com/Home/issue/IJM?Volume=11&Issue=7
1. INTRODUCTION
Patient satisfaction is not a brand-new idea. One of the key stakeholders in the modern medical
industry is the patient. Despite the fact that the responsibilities of the doctor and the patient are
the same, the setting and background have changed dramatically. Before, there were no
distinctions between patient care and cure, but as disease patterns changed, patients'
perspectives on care and cure changed. Sometimes a patient may be cured but not feel well
cared for, and sometimes a patient may be cured but feel poorly cared for. Due to the numerous
diseases that are affecting the nation, this occurs rather frequently these days. The finest

A Study on Patient Satisfaction Towards the Quality of Services Offered in Government Hospitals
of Madurai District
illustration for this is Covid-19, where the person with corona is given appropriate treatment
but there is no guarantee that he would recover; there are many chances that he may pass away.
Numerous lives were lost to this infection. We cannot infer that they have not received enough
care based on the death rate.
What exactly does patient satisfaction mean? It serves as a gauge of the patient's level of
satisfaction with the treatment they received from the healthcare practitioner. The level of
patient satisfaction is based on a variety of factors, including the effectiveness of clinical
services (care provider experience), the availability of medications, the cleanliness of rooms
and surroundings, the length and effectiveness of care, physical comfort, emotional support,
and the health care provider's level of empathy and communication, among others. Monitoring
patient satisfaction is a crucial component of raising hospital service standards.
For many health care providers, increasing patient happiness has emerged as one of their
top priorities. The explanation is straightforward: By measuring satisfaction, we can determine
whether a hospital is excellent or whether the best care provider is there, and we can also raise
the bar on service quality. Today's patients arrive at the hospital with the hope that the particular
doctor's care would cure them.
While identifying the need to increase patient happiness is a first step, the best changes will
come from healthcare practitioners having an honest evaluation of their practise and services
from the moment a patient makes an appointment. The patient will undoubtedly demand a
service with minimal adverse effects. Patient happiness has turned into a crucial component of
acquiring and preserving market share for healthcare firms operating in a highly competitive
environment. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to determine the degree of patient
satisfaction with the calibre of services offered at the government hospitals in the Madurai area.
2. LITERATURE REVIEW
S.Sharmila, Dr Jayasreekrishnan(2013) 320 responses were analysed as part of a study on
patient satisfaction and its determinants. The outcome shows that by assessing each person's
degree of satisfaction, the quality of services needs to be enhanced.
Annamalai Solayappan, Dr Jothi Jayakrishnan, evaluation of the hospital's services for
quality. As a result, the patient anticipates being tidy, making it crucial to assess physical
appearance.
S.M.Irfan Aamir Ijaz and M.M Farooq(2012) studied the degree to which 350 respondents
at Pakistan's public hospitals were assured, responsive, empathic, and reliable in their treatment
of patients. According to this survey, public hospitals are not making any obvious attempts to
provide their patients with high-quality care and to cater to their needs.
Agarwal A and Singh MR (2016) Patient happiness and the calibre of the service An
investigation into Jaipur's pathology laboratories. It was determined that more creative
techniques ought to be employed.
Alghamdi FS (2014) The service shortages should be filled by the healthcare industry. In
his empirical analysis, Alghamdi backed with this viewpoint.
M. Ranjithkumar, K.S. Shobajasmin, compared the examination of the private and public
hospitals in Tamil Nadu for service quality. As a result, government hospital staff members are
careless in their work, and private hospitals have taken advantage of this by entering the medical
industry and turning it into a source of income.
M.R. Chandrasekar, Patients (2015) Over 100 respondents were surveyed about their
opinions of the government hospitals in Nilgiris, and the results showed that overall treatment
satisfaction is high.

K. Kalaichelvi
Dr.Sathyanarayana, Prof. Veena Shenoy (2019) assessed the level of patient satisfaction
and service quality in rural Karnataka We learned from the survey that respondents' perceptions
of the PHC's quality of care were reflected by empathy and assurance.
AfshanKhattak, Muhammad Ismail Alvi (2012) 200 patients were included in a cross-
sectional study to compare private and public hospitals, and the findings revealed that patients
were happier with the care they received from private hospitals
T.Dheepa, N.Gayathri (2015) Over 280 patients were polled as part of a study on patient
satisfaction, and the results show that while there is room for improvement, overall patient
satisfaction is high.
Ramaiah Itumalla (2012) A study of 210 patients who received healthcare services from a
private hospital in Hyderabad, India, looked at how hospitals may better manage their services
and control information to improve their services.
In another study by RajanRushender et al (2016) PHCs should only be utilised for
preventative and primary health services rather than for the treatment of acute and chronic
sickness, according to a study that attempted to examine the effective usage of health care
services offered by PHCs in rural Tamil Nadu using a sample of 3,220 people.
3. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
In order to promote healthy living and address the health problems that people experience for a
variety of reasons, hospitals have been developed. In order to deliver timely services, hospitals
are essential. However, the government hospitals do not currently offer services of the
anticipated quality because they lack the infrastructure and facilities needed to deliver care
promptly. The main causes of treatment delays include a lack of infrastructure, the absence of
cutting-edge medical facilities, and a shortage of doctors, nurses, and staff. The patient-doctor
interaction has evolved into a partnership between a consumer and a service provider as a result
of the corporatization of the medical industry today and the rise in patient standards.
The entire study emphasises that factors like tangibility, assurance, empathy, and
accountability can be used to gauge service quality. The majority of research are focused on the
level of care provided in private hospitals and overseas. The researcher has made an effort to
use the already available dimensions to gauge the level of service provided in general hospitals.
4. OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
• To determine which aspect of service quality effects customer satisfaction the most in
the public hospitals in the Madurai District.
• To evaluate patient satisfaction and service quality
• To research the various service aspects provided by public hospitals.
5. NEED FOR THE STUDY
The importance of checking someone's health has increased recently because the entire nation
is afflicted with numerous ailments, thus we should be more aware of our own health.
Understanding the services offered at government hospitals became essential. All of the
government hospitals in the district of Madurai can better comprehend their situation thanks to
this study.
Since the majority of people come from rural areas, they completely rely on government
hospitals. Therefore, it is crucial to evaluate the degree to which patients are satisfied with the
entire services rendered by the medical professionals. to evaluate the comfort of the
accommodations, the environment's cleanliness, and the doctors' and staffs' attentiveness.

of Madurai District
6. SCOPE OF THE STUDY
The primary goals of this study are to examine the relationship between the doctor and patient
and to determine how happy patients are with the quality of services received.
7. RESEARCH METHODOLOGY
Both primary and secondary data were used in this investigation. A standardised Google Form
questionnaire was distributed to the respondents in order to obtain primary data. 168 samples
were obtained by the researcher utilising questionnaires.
8. RESEARCH DESIGN
The demographic features of respondents and the frequency of two variables are described in
this study's descriptive and analytical research design.
9. SOURCE OF DATA
Primary Data
The respondents were given a well-constructed questionnaire to complete in order to gather
information from the entire Madurai District.
Secondary Data
The study's secondary data came from books, journals, magazines, and articles.
10. SAMPLE TECHNIQUE
By using the Convenient Sample Method, the study was carried out among the patients of the
government hospitals in Madurai.
11. SAMPLE SIZE
168 respondents made up the sample that was taken into account for the study.
12. AREA OF RESEARCH
Tamil Nadu's Madurai Government Hospitals patients were the subjects of the study.
13. TOOLS USED FOR THE STUDY
• Frequency Percentage
• Chi-Square Test
• Factor Analysis
14. LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
• Only 168 responders are allowed in the survey, which is limited to patients of
government hospitals.
• The study is carried out in Tamil Nadu's Madurai District.
• The study was carried out during the COVID-19 era. Therefore, data collection was
carried out at the researcher's convenience.

K. Kalaichelvi
15. ANALYSIS AND INTERPRETATION
Table 1 Showing Demographic Factors
VARIABLE CATEGORY FREQUENCY PERCENT VALID
PERCENT
CUMMULATIVE
PERCENT
GENDER Female 85 50.6 50.6 50.6
Male 83 49.4 49.4 100.0
Total 168 100.0 100.0
EDUCATIONAL
QUALIFICATION
Schooling 28 16.7 16.7 16.7
Higher
education
140 83.3 83.3 100.0
Total 168 100.0 100.0
MARITAL
STATUS
Married 64 38.1 38.1 38.1
Unmarried 104 61.9 61.9 100.0
Total 168 100.0 100.0
OCCUPATION Student 69 41.1 41.1 41.1
Employee 38 22.6 22.6 63.7
Business 24 14.3 14.3 78.0
Professional 17 10.1 10.1 88.1
Others 20 11.9 11.9 100.0
Total 168 100.0 100.0
INCOME Below 10,000 21 12.5 12.5 12.5
10,001-30,000 35 20.8 20.8 33.3
30,001-50,000 22 13.1 13.1 46.4
Above 50,000 26 15.5 15.5 61.9
None 64 38.1 38.1 100.0
Total 168 100.0 100.0
Source: Primary Data
Interpretation: It is clear from Table 1 above that out of 168 respondents, 50.6 percent of them
were women, followed by 49.4 percent of men. Additionally, it shows that 16.7 respondents are
from schoolings, whereas 83.3 respondents have a higher education. 38.1 percent of
respondents are married, compared to 61.9 percent of respondents who are single. According
to the status of profession level, students make up 41.1 percent of respondents, while employees
make up 22.6 percent. 14.3% of people are entrepreneurs. 10.1% are professionals, while the
remaining 10.9 % are others. A large portion of the respondents—38.1 percent—belong to no
income category, followed by 20.8 percent who make between $10,000 and $30,000, 15.5%
who make between $50,000 and $50,000, roughly 13.1 percent who make between $30,001 and
$50,000, and 12.5% who make less than $10,000.
Source: Primary Data
Chart 1 Factors That Influence to Select Government Hospitals For Treatment

of Madurai District
From the above chart 1, we can deduce that out of 168 respondents, 56.5% of patients visit
government hospitals because they receive free medical care, 46.5% do so because of the
facilities and services offered there, 35.1% do so because they are happy with the calibre of the
services they receive, 32.7% do so because of the free medical campaign, and 30% do so
because they attend events there.
H1: There is a link between respondents' levels of education and how well government hospitals
are perceived by their patients.
Table 2 How Long Did You Wait (Belong Your Appointment Time) to Visit the doctor?
Chi-Square Tests
Value df Asymp.sig.
(2-sided)
Exact Sig.
(2-sided)
Exact Sig.
(1-sided)
Pearson Chi-
Square
.557a
1 .455
Continuity
Correctionb
.273 1 .601
Likelihood
Ratio
.575 1 .448
Fisher’s Exact
Test
.510 .306
Linear-by-
Linear
Assosciation
.554 1 .457
N of Valid
Cases
168
Source: Primary data
Interpretation: The aforementioned table makes it evident that the values of Pearson Chi-
square (0.557) and Sig (0.455) are statistically significant at the level of 5%. This suggests a
connection between the respondents' educational backgrounds and the length of time patients
must wait to be seen in public hospitals.
Table 3 Is the Staff Empathetic to Your Needs?
Chi-Square Tests
Value df Asymp.Sig.(2-sided)
Pearson Chi-Square 9.371a
3 .025
Likelihood Ratio 7.110 3 .068
Linear-by-Linear
Association
1.089 1 .297
N of Valid Cases 168
Interpretation: The aforementioned table makes it evident that the Pearson Chi-square values
of 9.371 and.025 are statistically significant at the level of 5%. This suggests a connection
between the respondents' educational backgrounds and the staff members' patient empathy

K. Kalaichelvi
Table 4 The Promptness with Which the Calls are Answered?
Chi-Square Tests
Value df Asymp.Sig
(2-sided)
3 .254
Linear-by-Linear
Association
2.486 1 .115
Interpretation: The aforementioned table makes it evident that the pearson Chi-square values
of 4.066 and.254 are statistically significant at the level of 5%. This suggests that there is a
connection between respondents' levels of education and how quickly calls are returned
Table 5 During the Hospital Stay How Often the Nurse Treat You with Courtesy and Respect?
Chi-Square Tests
Value df Asymp.Sig.
(2-sided)
2 .429
Linear-by-Linear
Association
1.121 1 .290
N of Valid cases 168
Square=1.691, sig=.429 are statistically significant at the level of 5%. This suggests a
connection between the respondents' educational backgrounds and the behaviour of nurses
Table 6 How Likely Are You To Recommend The Government Hospitals Facilities With A Friend Or
Family?
Chi-Square Tests
Value df Asymp.Sig.
(2-Sided)
Pearson Chi-Square .487a
2 .784
Likelihood Ratio .504 2 .777
Linear-by-Linear
Assosciation
.467 1 .495
Square=0.487 and Sig=0.784 are statistically insignificant at the 5% level. This suggests that
there is no connection between respondents' educational backgrounds and their likelihood to
refer the government hospital services to friends or family.

of Madurai District
Table 7 How Responsive The Doctor Has Been To Your Concern About The Health Issues?
Chi-Square-Tests
Value df Asymp.Sig.
(2-Sided)
2 .136
Linear-by-Linear
Association
3.910 1 .048
Interpretation: The aforementioned table makes it evident that the Pearson Chi-Square values
of 3.98 and.136 are statistically significant at the 5% level. This suggests a connection between
the respondents' educational backgrounds and the responsibility the doctor demonstrated for the
patient's concerns.
Table 8 Did You Feel The Staff Respected Your Privacy?
Chi-Square Tests
Value df Asymp.Sig.
(2-sided)
1 .041
Continuity Correctionb
3.023 1 .082
Fisher’s Exact Test
Linear-by-Linear
Association
4.159 1 .041
N of Valid cases 168
Source: Primary sources
Interpretation: The aforementioned table makes it evident that the Pearson Chi-Square values
of 4.184 and.041 are statistically significant at the level of 5%. This suggests a connection
between the respondents' educational backgrounds and how the personnel treated patients'
privacy.
16. FACTOR ANALYSIS
Table 9
KMO and Bartlett's Test
Kaiser-Meyer-Olkin Measure of Sampling Adequacy..926
Bartlett's Test of Sphericity Approx. Chi-Square 867.356
df 45
Sig. .000
Interpretation: The aforementioned table makes it clear that the KMO sample adequacy score
of 0.926 and Bartlett's sphericity test, with an approximate chi-square value of 867.356, are
statistically significant at the 5% level. The accompanying communalities table suggests that
the sample size is sufficient to categorise the 10 variables into prevailing factors.

K. Kalaichelvi
Table 10
Communalities
InitialExtraction
Is the staffs empathetic to your needs 1.000 .538
The promptness with which the calls are answered 1.000 .661
The nurse treats you with courtesy and respect 1.000 .496
Recommend the government hospital facilities with friend or family 1.000 .573
Responsiveness of the doctor to your concern 1.000 .484
Staff respected your privacy 1.000 .357
Doctor’s treatment 1.000 .564
Cleanliness of the rooms 1.000 .620
Care in the government hospital 1.000 .720
Politeness of the Doctors 1.000 .560
Interpretation: The aforementioned table clearly shows that the variance of the 10 variables
spans from 0.484 to 0.720 and reaches a maximum of 72%. As can be seen in the total variance
table, this results in the factor segmentation process.
Table 11
Total Variance Explained
Component Initial Eigenvalues Extraction Sums of Squared
Loadings
Total % of
Variance
Cumulative
%
Total % of
Variance
Cumulative
%
Is the empathetic to your needs 5.572 55.719 55.719 2.385 18.350 38.422
The promptness with which the
calls are answered
.800 7.999 63.719 5.572 55.719 55.719
The nurse treats you with courtesy
and respect
.773 7.731 71.449
Recommend the government
hospital facilities with friend or
family
.561 5.605 77.055
Responsiveness of the doctor to
your concern
.540 5.396 82.451
Staff respected your privacy .468 4.677 87.128
Doctor’s treatment .416 4.165 91.293
Cleanliness of the rooms .338 3.382 94.675
Care in the government hospital .277 2.766 97.441
Politeness of the Doctors .256 2.559 100.000
Interpretation: It The table below demonstrates that the ten variables account for 55.719% of
the variance and convert it into two dominant factors. There are two factors that have variances
of between 55.719 and 38.422, all of which are statistically significant at the 5% level. The
resulting variable loadings on each factor are as follows.

of Madurai District
Six different factors make up the first one. They are sympathetic to your requirements
(5.572), prompt in returning calls (0.800), treat you with respect and courtesy by the nurse
(0.773), promote the government hospital facilities to friends and family (0.561), are sensitive
to your concerns by the doctor (0.540), and respect your privacy (0.468). Thus, the term "service
dimension" might be used to describe this component.
The second factor consists of 4 variables. They are doctor’s treatment (0.416), cleanliness
of the rooms (0.338), care in the government hospital (0.277) and politeness of the doctors
(0.256). Hence this factor is called “patient fulfillment”
17. CONCLUSION
The importance of service quality and patient happiness were the main foci of this study, and it
was discovered that patients were extremely happy with the services provided to them. The
public hospitals in the district of Madurai operate efficiently. They are pleased with the doctor's
commitment to every procedure. The majority of patients travel to government hospitals
because they may receive free medical care, there is a free medical campaign, and they are
happy with the facilities, the hospitality, and the timely attendance of cases. The patient's
expectations are rising significantly as everything develops. It is crucial that the government
take the required steps to improve patient satisfaction.
18. SUGGESTION
The results of this survey show that almost all of the patients were satisfied with the services,
however there are a few recommendations that could increase their level of satisfaction. Every
six months, a survey is required to determine how satisfied the patient is, and modifications can
then be made as necessary. The responsible authorities should conduct inspections on a regular
basis. The right ward should be assigned because patients are having some trouble finding them.
There can be produced motivational classes to influence the way some patients feel about some
nurses' actions. However, it is clear from the overall analysis that the services are satisfactory.
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[3] S.M. Irfan, Aamir, Ijaz,and M.M. Farooq(2012)Patient satisfaction and service quality of Public
hospitals in Pakistan: An Empirical Assessment –A conceptual Paper (middle east Journal of
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A STUDY ON PATIENT SATISFACTION TOWARDS THE QUALITY OF SERVICES OFFERED IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS OF MADURAI DISTRICT

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A STUDY ON PATIENT SATISFACTION TOWARDS THE QUALITY OF SERVICES OFFERED IN GOVERNMENT HOSPITALS OF MADURAI DISTRICT