ANALYSIS OF OUTPATIENT POLYCLINICS QUALITY SERVICE AND PATIENT RETURN VISITS: A CASE STUDY OF ROYAL PRIMA HOSPITAL MEDAN

Abstract

The quality of health services plays a pivotal role in the overall well-being of patients, influencing their decision to seek further treatment. This study focuses on evaluating patient satisfaction with the quality of services at the Royal Prima Hospital Medan, a reputable healthcare facility in Indonesia, with a particular emphasis on the outpatient polyclinic. While numerous studies have been conducted to assess healthcare service quality and patient satisfaction, limited research exists on the impact of service quality in outpatient polyclinics on patient repeat visits.

The Long-Term Development Plan in the Health Sector (RPJPK) 2005-2025 seeks to enhance public health awareness, access to equitable quality healthcare services, and the well-being of Indonesian citizens. As part of the health care system, hospitals are responsible for providing comprehensive health services, including inpatient, outpatient, and emergency care. Ensuring the delivery of high-quality services is crucial for hospitals, given their significance as service industries.

To evaluate the quality of service and its impact on patient return visits, this study adopts the SERVQUAL model, which encompasses five dimensions: reliability, responsiveness, assurance, empathy, and tangibles. Additionally, the study draws upon the theory of Zeithaml, Parasuraman, and Leonard (1985), recognizing that patient satisfaction is influenced by factors beyond service quality.

Using patient complaint forms from the Royal Prima Medan General Hospital, this research identifies patient dissatisfaction with various aspects of the hospital's services, including uncomfortable outpatient rooms due to construction, incomplete facilities and infrastructure, slow response times from service officers to patient complaints, and delays in administrative services. Consequently, patients expressed reluctance to revisit the hospital and recommended against it to others.

The study's objective is to establish a correlation between service quality in the outpatient polyclinic and patient return visits at the Royal Prima General Hospital Medan in 2020. Initial surveys conducted in the outpatient room highlight the well-organized health services provided by health workers. However, delays in doctor appointments and unavailability of health workers at the nurse station have been identified as areas of concern.