| The necessity of receiving quality medical services is very important in the public policy of any country. Measuring quality in health care services is not an easy task because it is based on the perception and expectations of the patients. This study presents a self assessment methodology to evaluate and improve the perception of quality in the services offered by Puerto Rican hospitals. Integrating the planning process known as Quality Function Deployment with data analyses techniques such as Analytical Hierarchical Process, regression and factor analyses, the dimensions of quality considered as high-priority were identified. This pilot study concludes that the most important factors for measuring quality in the Puerto Rican's healthcare system include: respect and care, availability of services, attention to patients, special cares, appearance, efficacy and effectiveness, food services, facilities, and responsiveness. These factors are similar to those found in previous studies conducted in Singapore and the United States. |
