Service quality and urolithiasis patient adherence.

Area of Science:

• Urology
• Healthcare Management
• Patient Adherence Research

Background:

• Patient adherence to preventive recommendations is vital for managing urolithiasis and improving clinical outcomes.
• Service quality significantly influences patient adherence to treatment and care plans.
• Understanding perceived service quality differences between adherent and nonadherent patients is key for targeted interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To compare perceived service quality, using the SERVQUAL model, between urolithiasis patients who were nonadherent and those who were adherent to follow-up visits.
• To identify specific service quality dimensions that impact patient adherence in a stone prevention clinic.
• To provide insights for improving patient retention in urolithiasis care programs.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 531 nonadherent and 51 adherent urolithiasis patients at a stone prevention clinic (2010-2014).
• Service quality was assessed using the SERVQUAL model, alongside demographic data and reasons for follow-up withdrawal.
• Statistical analyses included Man-Whitney U test, chi-squared test, and binary logistic regression.

Main Results:

• Patients' expectations exceeded perceptions across all five SERVQUAL dimensions in both adherent and nonadherent groups.
• The adherent group reported significantly better perceived service quality scores.
• Responsiveness, assurance, and empathy dimensions were significantly associated with increased odds of patient adherence.

Conclusions:

• Service quality requires enhancement across all dimensions to improve patient adherence in urolithiasis care.
• Focusing on responsiveness, assurance, and empathy can significantly improve patient adherence to follow-up visits.
• Addressing service quality gaps is essential for long-term stone prevention and patient management.