To investigate the gap between the expectation and actual feeling of inpatients in general hospital, so as to provide reference for improving inpatient service quality.

From October to November 2019, a questionnaire survey was conducted on the inpatient service quality with the revised SERVQUAL scale. The questionnaire included 20 items in 6 dimensions of reliability, assurance, responsiveness, economy, caring and tangibility. According to the gap between the expected service quality and the actual experience, improvement strategies were formulated.

Among the 211 inpatients investigated, the expected service quality was consistent with the actual experience in all dimensions. The quality value was ranked from the highest to the lowest as assurance, caring, reliability, responsiveness, tangible and economy. The gap between the expected value and actual value of economy was the largest and the gap between assurance was the smallest. The actual value was lower than the expected value of 20 items, among which the gap in the rationality of hospital diet, drugs and examination fees was the largest.

There is a big gap between the expected service quality and the actual feeling of patients in tertiary general hospitals, and corresponding improvement measures should be taken, including moving forward the management port and improving the service quality.

Patient satisfaction; Inpatients; Service quality; Hospital management; Questionnaires