Satisfacción del usuario del área de hospitalización en un hospital privado de Managua, Nicaragua

Patient satisfaction is a key indicator of the quality of health care, influenced by factors such as empathy, communication, and safety. The objective of this study was to describe the satisfaction of patients admitted to the hospitalization area of a private hospital in Managua, Nicaragua, from November 2025 to January 2026. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted. The population consisted of 1,108 patients, and the final sample comprised 68 participants, selected through non-probabilistic convenience sampling. Data was collected via a survey using the modified SERVQUAL instrument, which assesses expectations and perceptions across five dimensions: tangible factors, reliability, responsiveness, assurance, and empathy. Subsequently, the service quality index was calculated based on the difference between perceptions and expectations. Among the main findings was that the study population consisted primarily of patients aged 40 to 59 (33.82%), female (52.94%), with a college education (73.53%), and from urban areas (91.18%). The highest expectation scores were observed in the dimensions of empathy (4.94) and safety (4.90), while the highest perceptions corresponded to safety (4.91) and empathy (4.90). The gap analysis showed an overall service quality index (SQI) of -0.10. Only the safety dimension showed a positive gap (0.01); in contrast, reliability (-0.22), tangible benefits (-0.15), responsiveness (-0.09), and empathy (-0.04) showed negative results. In conclusion, expectations were high, particularly in the dimensions of empathy and safety. However, the overall service quality index of -0.10 indicated a slight negative gap between expectations and perceptions. This suggests that, although strengths were identified in safety and patient care, the service has not yet fully met the expectations of the served population.