DOI: 10.14457/tu.the.2018.320
title: Service quality for antenatal care using the “supreme service model” in Phramongkutklao Hospital

description: Background: Globalization had a great influence on people’s healthcare systems. People should have the equal right to access the global standard of healthcare service. It was important to deliver a high quality healthcare service for all patients. The “Supreme Service Model” had been launched by Royal Thai Army Medical Department which comprised of the three concepts as P1place, P2people, and P3process. This model was regarded as the excellent strategies for building a long-term relationship with service receivers. Antenatal Care unit was very necessary to help promote pregnancy outcomes. The level of pregnant women’s satisfaction still had been decreased respectively. Consequently, the satisfaction of pregnant women was one of the indicators for measuring service quality and could reflect to the defect of Antenatal Care service system. Inadequate care during pregnancy service could affect mother and baby in morbidity and mortality. Thus, it was necessary to focus on pregnant women’ needs in-depth understanding. The problems of service quality at Antenatal Care unit should be reviewed. Objectives: The purposes of this research were to investigate service quality basing on the level of pregnant women’s satisfaction, to study the problems of service quality that should be improved, and to provide the suggestions of service quality by using the “Supreme Service Model” at Antenatal Care unit, Phramongkutklao Hospital. Methods: The population groups were comprised of the group of service receivers, the group of service providers, and the group of administrators. The sample of service receivers were 330 pregnant women selected by accidental sampling. The quantitative data was collected by using the questionnaires including the general information and the service receivers’ opinions about service quality. The rating scales and the mean score were interpreted into five levels ranging from a very low to a very high level. The descriptive statistic for data analysis used frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Then, the qualitative data from 31 service providers and 9 administrators was collected by using the in-depth interview. The data analysis method was content analysisResults: The level of pregnant women’s satisfaction toward service quality showed the aspect concerning P2people at a very high level X ̅ = 4.26 (95% CI 4.20 - 4.32). It was revealed that P2people in the aspect of service time should be improved. More personnel should be provided in order to enable faster service. Moreover, there was the same level at a high level in aspect concerning P3process X ̅ = 4.16 (95% CI 4.10 - 4.22) and P1place X ̅ = 4.06 (95% CI 4.00 - 4.12) respectively. The study indicated that P3process should be improved regarding an advice and guidance point. Health education advices should be given through various media or an appointment system, whereas, P1place should be improved by adding a sign noticing each service areas in English language that suggested the service points for foreigners.Conclusion: Providing the “Supreme Service Model” would lead to the proposed service quality in pregnancy care to promote their pregnancy outcomes. Healthcare team leaders should drive a proper service quality policy at all levels. In the aspect concerning P2people, the policy should be focused on service providers which were considered as the key effectiveness. Regarding the aspect concerning P3process and P1place, the policy should be more concerned to improve service quality.