Customer Participation and Service Quality in Health Sector Operations: the Case of Clinics Affiliated to Population Services Kenya

Abstract

Customer participation in the service operations of organizations has attracted immense attention in the recent times. It has been viewed as a way of achieving costs, time and quality efficiencies thus reducing uncertainties in service processes. Health sector has not been left behind in application of emerging value addition trends including involving customers in service processes. In the sector the health providers offer their knowledge and skills to deliver value to the patients in terms of good health while on the other hand patients must be willing to provide their input in terms of time, information in order to enjoy the benefits. This study focused on service aspect of operations management and analyze the extent to which organizations in health industry have incorporated customer participation in service operations. The general objective of this study was to evaluate customer participation and service quality in health sector operations using clinics affiliated to Population Services (PS) Kenya as case study. The study was guided by the following specific objectives; to determine the extent to which facilities affiliated to PS Kenya have adopted customer participation, and to evaluate the effect of customer participation on service quality in facilities affiliated to PS Kenya. The study was guided by Unified services theory. The theory identifies four roles of customers in the service operations which include: customer feedback and reviews, customer as competitor, customer as co-producer, customer as contributor to value and satisfaction. The study used the SERVQUAL Model to conceptualize the different elements of the service quality that include: Dependability, Responsiveness, Assurance, Empathy and tangibility. The study used descriptive survey design to collect both quantitative and qualitative data. In the survey 140 facilities that have partnered with PS Kenya were targeted and a sample 42, representing 30%, was drawn using random sampling. Data was collected from primary sources using self-administered questionnaires that were scripted on survey monkey. Collected data was downloaded to excel and SPSS format for cleaning and analysis where both descriptive and inferential analysis (regression and correlation) was done. The analysis was presented in figures, tables, charts and graphs. The study realized a response rate of 83.3%. The relationship between the study variables service quality positively related to feedback and reviews, customers as contributors of value and satisfaction and as competitors. Indeed, these variables explained much of the variations in service quality thus is good for prediction. The linear relationship analysis established a significant association between service quality and all customer participation variables. From the findings, the following recommendations are proposed. Initiate comprehensive employee training programs focusing on customer interaction, empathy, and service demeanor to enhance customer experiences, automation of key services, work on improving the speed of service delivery and expanding the range of basic amenities available to customers for a more comprehensive offering, promoting a culture of individualized attention and care for patients, reinforcing empathy and compassion in service delivery, develop mechanisms for implementing customer suggestions and feedback more effectively, and regular evaluation and improvement.