Seyyed Mansour Kashfi - Research Center for Health Sciences, Department of Public Health, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Diba Raufi - Department of Pubic Health, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Tayebeh Rakhshani - Nutritton Research Center, Department of Public Health, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran
Hasan Hashemi - Department ofEnvironment Health, School of Health, Shiraz University of Medical Sciences, Shiraz, Iran

Background: Service quality is one of the main challenges in health systems. In qualitymanagement, service recipients play an important role in identifying their needs and preferences.The present study was carried out to evaluate the quality of health services provided in healthcenters of Ahvaz city based on the SERVQUAL model in 2016.Methods: This cross-sectional descriptive study was conducted on 384 person referred to thehealth centers in the west of Ahvaz city in 2016. The sample were selected through quotasampling method. The SERVQUAL questionnaire which measures the five dimensions ofTangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance and Empathy in service delivery was appliedto collect the required data. The data were analyzed using paired t-test.Results: In general, there were differences between perception and expectation of the five servicedimensions and the differences were negative (expectations were beyond perceptions). The meantotal difference of service quality was -0.68 (P-value < 0.05). The lowest and the highest meanscores of quality difference were obtained for reliability (-0.53) and empathy (-1.04) dimensions,(P-value < 0.001).Conclusion: This study revealed negative differences in all five service dimensions. So,promotion and evaluation of service quality should be continuously considered in planning. Sincethe highest difference in service quality was observed in empathy dimension, it seems essential tohold customer service training courses for increasing communication skills for employees.

Health service, Quality of health care, Ahvaz, Iran