Rural Health Care System and Patients’ Satisfaction towards Medical Care in Bangladesh: An Empirical Study

Abstract

The study examines the rural health care system with special reference to
the selected areas of Bangladesh. It has explored health seeking behavior of people
in rural areas of Bangladesh. It has also revealed patients’ views towards health
care services in Bangladesh. The study was conducted on 311 individuals located in
twelve (12) villages from three different districts namely Comilla, Brahmanbaria,
and Sylhet in Bangladesh. The variables of the SERVQUAL model used in this study
are reliability, assurance, tangibles, communication, empathy, process features,
cost and access. The result of the study indicates that from the eight variables of
SERVQUAL model negative relationship is found with patients’ satisfaction.
Finally, the study provides some guidelines for solving the rural health care
problem as well as for increasing patients’ satisfaction towards medical services in
Bangladesh.