PATIENT SATISFACTION IN THE CONTEXT OF TOTAL QUALITY MANAGEMENT:AN EXAMPLE OF SIVAS STATE HOSPITAL

Abstract

In particular, TQM applied in industry is of strategic importance for the company in a highly competitive environment. Therefore currently the service marketing began to adopt TOM. The tendency to learn with the aim of reaching better and innovation that occur in all TOM processes brings effectiveness and efficiency. The customer satisfaction is an important data to measure effectiveness. In this study, satisfaction survey was applied on 396 in patients discharged at Sivas State Hospital and as a result the answer has been sough twhether hospital uses TQM effectively or not from the point of view of the customer. Survey form includes 63 questions obtained through Factor analysis consisting 9 factors. Factors on which patients base their recommendation and preference of hospital are analyzed. The survey of what health and care services which are provided have low level of satisfaction and what should be done in this process are presented. In this study, it has been found that the hospital can use the TQM applications effectively but it possesses deficiencies on some occasions from the pointview of the customer (patient). In the future, measurements that will be obtained through financial, internal business and innovation and learning perspectives will be combined with this study and answer of how effectively and accurately the TQM applications are put into effect in the hospital will be presented.