Abstract:
Patient satisfaction is a principal indicator of healthcare quality and a foundational element of
health system performance. Despite investments in Kenya’s public healthcare sector, many county hospitals
continue to face gaps in service delivery, resource allocation, and human resource capacity—challenges that
directly affect the quality of patient experiences. This study examined the effect of healthcare service quality
on patient satisfaction in public hospitals in Kenya, focusing on Narok County Referral Hospital (NCRH).
Guided by the SERVQUAL model, the study analyzed five dimensions of service quality—tangibility, reliability,
responsiveness, assurance, and empathy—using a descriptive research design. A structured questionnaire was
administered to inpatients sampled from wards, and quantitative data were analyzed using Ordinal logistic
regression. The findings revealed that all five dimensions of service quality significantly and positively
influenced patient satisfaction, with responsiveness exhibiting the strongest effect. The study concludes that
improving visible hospital infrastructure, ensuring consistency in service delivery, enhancing staff training,
strengthening communication, and fostering empathetic care collectively improve patient satisfaction.
Recommendations include upgrading medical equipment, enforcing customer care policies, addressing
staffing shortages, reducing waiting times, and institutionalizing continuous quality improvement (CQI). The
study also identifies areas for further research, including longitudinal assessments and comparative analyses
across multiple counties.
