MODELS FOR ASSESSING THE QUALITY OF HEALTHCARE SERVICES

Quality of care is a key focus of the global healthcare system. It has a major impact on patient satisfaction, costs and the efficiency of service delivery. To ensure that the quality of services meets the expectations of both the patient and the provider, quality is assessed using specific models. Effective quality assessment allows for rational allocation of resources and increased patient satisfaction. This provides the basis for continuous improvement of the system and the public good.The problem of the study is the lack of a unified and objective method to properly assess the quality of health care services, which is due to the subjective perception of the quality of services.The aim is to review scientific literature on the quality of health services and the models used to assess it.Methods. A content analysis of the literature was performed by searching Academic Search Ultimate (EBSCO), National Library of Medicine (PubMed), Emerald Premier Collection and other databases.Results. Evaluation of the quality of health care services covers a variety of aspects, including patient experience, treatment outcomes, quality of infrastructure and organizational processes. The assessment of service quality depends on the method chosen. Assessing quality in healthcare is inseparable from ensuring efficiency, patient safety and access to services. Because of the subjective nature of health care quality assessment, several models have been developed based on research findings.Results and summary. Evaluating the quality of healthcare services covers a wide range of aspects, including patient experience, treatment outcomes, infrastructure quality and organizational processes. Literature review revealed that the process of evaluating the quality of services depends on the method used, which determines the direction and outcomes of the evaluation. Due to the subjective nature of service quality assessment in the healthcare context, various models have been developed to allow for a structured assessment of service delivery. Among them, the SERVQUAL model stands out and is widely recognized as an effective tool for identifying shortcomings in service delivery and identifying areas for improvement. In summary, the concept of quality healthcare services may vary depending on the method of evaluation, but the main objective is to maximize the satisfaction of patients' needs by providing high quality, safe and accessible healthcare services.