Client Services Evaluation in Dentistry Sector

치과의료기관 방문시 불만처리서비스에 대한 의료소비자의 평가

  • Han, Ji-Hyoung (Dept. of Health Management, Graduate School, Hanyang University) ;
  • Kim, Jin (Dept. of Public Health, Graduate School of the Environment & Health, Chosun University)
  • 한지형 (한양대학교 대학원 보건관리학과) ;
  • 김진 (조선대학교 환경보건대학원 보건학과)
  • Published : 2003.12.30

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine how clients who visited dental institutions perceived client services, what sorts of client services were provided to them and to what extent they were satisfied with them. It's ultimately meant to seek ways to enhance and enlarge client services. A survey was conducted on 379 residents who used dental institutions in Seoul and Gyeonggi provinces, and the findings of this study were as follows: 1. 64.6 percent of the people investigated weren't aware of client services, and 33.0 percent viewed them as part of medical services. 77.5 percent had grievances about dental institutions they'd ever used. 2. The biggest complaint was that the dental treatments they received weren't covered by the dental insurance. As for how to solve their grievances, the largest group of them told the employees of the dental institutions about their complaints or didn't use them again. When asked whether the dental institutions took any steps to get rid of their grievances, the greatest group replied they had no idea. and the second largest group answered they took no measure. 3. By age and educational level, those who were in their 60s and up and stopped at elementary school were best cognizant of client services. Among client service variables, they were most satisfied with how the employees handled their complaints, and as to overall satisfaction, their willingness to revisit ranked highest. 4. Concerning connections among client service awareness, service variables and overall satisfaction level, their awareness of client services had a positive correlational relationship with every service variable and satisfaction level. Among the service variables, prompt client services and employee attitude were positively correlated to overall satisfaction level, but service procedure, facilities and information services exercised little impact on that. 5. As for what factors affected their content with client services, their client service awareness was identified as one of the important factors to influence their use of dental institutions, the outcome of their visit and their willingness to revisit. The above-mentioned findings suggested that dental institutions should strengthen publicity activities to inform people of client services, and encourage them to express their grievances. In addition, they should take an immediate action to remove their complaints, and try to get a successful feedback to offer higher-quality medical services and customer-oriented services.

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