Comparison of measurement models based on expectations and perceived performance for the satisfaction study in health services

Abstract

The literature on satisfaction measurement features several models for establishing the relationship between expectations, service performance and satisfaction. The set of measures used includes the Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA), expectation disconfirmation and the satisfaction determinants model. This paper presents a comparison of different measurement models on the basis of a sample of 2900 health services users. The comparison shows that the expectations disconfirmation model allows to establish significant correlations between service attributes and general satisfaction, yet it warrants an adjustment of data distribution to identify the attributes where confirmation and disconfirmation are presented – when not due to chance. On the other hand, the direct effect approach allows to identify predictor attributes of satisfaction better than the other models do, whereas the importance – performance model is easier to implement but can generate erroneous conclusions about the service attributes that generate satisfaction.