Family looking through a window at a patient on a ventilator.

Ventilator Care: Bridging the Gap Between Expectations and Reality

Samir D’Costa in Health & Wellness December 2025 • 4 min read.

"Discover the key to improving healthcare services for patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation. Learn how family expectations can shape better patient outcomes."

In healthcare, the concept of quality is paramount. It reflects the degree to which health services enhance the likelihood of desired outcomes, adhering to current professional standards. Assessing this quality often involves evaluating the perspectives of individuals receiving care; how well their needs are met or exceeded. For patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation, this assessment is especially critical.

Mechanical ventilation (MV) is a life-saving intervention, but long-term reliance on it presents unique challenges. Respiratory Care Centers (RCCs) are designed to provide specialized care for these patients, focusing on weaning and improving their overall condition. Understanding the nuances of service quality in these settings is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes and family satisfaction.

While patient satisfaction is a common metric, a deeper understanding comes from comparing expectations with actual experiences. The SERVQUAL model offers a framework for this, highlighting potential gaps between what families expect and what they perceive. By identifying these gaps, healthcare providers can tailor their services to better meet the needs of patients and their families.

Understanding the Expectation-Perception Gap in Ventilator Care

Family looking through a window at a patient on a ventilator.

A recent study published in the Journal of the Formosan Medical Association delved into the quality of healthcare services for patients undergoing prolonged mechanical ventilation. Researchers focused on the viewpoints of family members, recognizing their crucial role in the patient's care journey. The study aimed to identify gaps between expectations and perceptions of service quality, providing actionable insights for improvement.

The study, conducted at the Respiratory Care Center of National Taiwan University Hospital, utilized the SERVQUAL instrument to gather data from family members of patients admitted for prolonged MV. Participants completed questionnaires assessing their expectations and perceptions across five key dimensions:

Tangibles: Appearance of facilities and equipment.
Reliability: Ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately.
Responsiveness: Willingness to help and provide prompt service.
Assurance: Knowledge and courtesy of staff, and their ability to inspire trust and confidence.
Empathy: Caring, individualized attention provided to patients and families.

The findings revealed interesting insights into the expectations and perceptions of family members. While overall scores for expectation and perception were similar, specific gaps emerged, highlighting areas where service quality could be improved. These gaps weren't just minor discrepancies; they represented tangible opportunities to enhance the care experience.

Practical Steps to Bridge the Gap

The insights from this study offer a valuable roadmap for healthcare providers seeking to improve the quality of care for patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation. By focusing on key areas, such as modernizing equipment, ensuring error-free records, and demonstrating genuine empathy, RCCs can better meet the needs of patients and their families. These efforts not only enhance satisfaction but also contribute to better patient outcomes and a more supportive care environment.

About this Article -

This article was crafted using a human-AI hybrid and collaborative approach. AI assisted our team with initial drafting, research insights, identifying key questions, and image generation. Our human editors guided topic selection, defined the angle, structured the content, ensured factual accuracy and relevance, refined the tone, and conducted thorough editing to deliver helpful, high-quality information.See our About page for more information.

This article is based on research published under:

DOI-LINK: 10.1016/j.jfma.2018.09.019, Alternate LINK

Title: Quality Gaps And Priorities For Improvement Of Healthcare Service For Patients With Prolonged Mechanical Ventilation In The View Of Family

Subject: General Medicine

Journal: Journal of the Formosan Medical Association

Publisher: Elsevier BV

Authors: Bao-Lin Chang, Hsiu-O Kao, Shwu-Jen Lin, Shu-Hui Yang, Yao-Wen Kuo, Jih-Shuin Jerng

Published: 2019-05-01

Everything You Need To Know

What is the primary goal of Respiratory Care Centers (RCCs) in the context of prolonged mechanical ventilation?

The primary goal of Respiratory Care Centers (RCCs) is to provide specialized care for patients requiring prolonged mechanical ventilation. This specialized care focuses on weaning patients from mechanical ventilation and improving their overall condition, which requires an understanding of service quality to optimize patient outcomes and family satisfaction. It is important to note that specialized care also focuses on the nuances of service quality which is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes and family satisfaction. This is done, in part, by comparing expectations with actual experiences of the patient and their families.

How does the SERVQUAL model help in understanding and improving the quality of care in Respiratory Care Centers (RCCs)?

The SERVQUAL model provides a framework for understanding the gaps between what families expect from Respiratory Care Centers (RCCs) and what they perceive they are receiving. By identifying these gaps, healthcare providers can tailor their services to better meet the needs of patients and their families, ultimately improving the quality of care. SERVQUAL measures gaps in the five key dimensions; Tangibles, Reliability, Responsiveness, Assurance and Empathy. Addressing gaps in any of these dimensions represents tangible opportunities to enhance the care experience.

What are the five key dimensions assessed by the SERVQUAL instrument in evaluating the quality of healthcare services for patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation?

The SERVQUAL instrument assesses five key dimensions: Tangibles (appearance of facilities and equipment), Reliability (ability to perform the promised service dependably and accurately), Responsiveness (willingness to help and provide prompt service), Assurance (knowledge and courtesy of staff, and their ability to inspire trust and confidence), and Empathy (caring, individualized attention provided to patients and families).

What specific practical steps can Respiratory Care Centers (RCCs) take to bridge the gap between family expectations and perceptions regarding the quality of care for patients on prolonged mechanical ventilation, based on insights from the study?

Respiratory Care Centers (RCCs) can focus on modernizing equipment to improve 'Tangibles', ensuring error-free records to enhance 'Reliability', demonstrating genuine 'Empathy' through caring and individualized attention, improving 'Responsiveness' by being helpful and providing prompt service, and improving 'Assurance' through staff knowledge, courtesy, and their ability to inspire trust and confidence. By focusing on these key areas, Respiratory Care Centers can better meet the needs of patients and their families. These efforts not only enhance satisfaction but also contribute to better patient outcomes and a more supportive care environment. A recent study published in the *Journal of the Formosan Medical Association* delved into the quality of healthcare services for patients undergoing prolonged mechanical ventilation.

How important is understanding family expectations in improving healthcare services for patients undergoing prolonged mechanical ventilation, and what role do family members play in the patient's care journey?

Understanding family expectations is crucial in improving healthcare services because these expectations significantly shape patient outcomes and satisfaction. Family members play a vital role in the patient's care journey, and their viewpoints provide valuable insights into the gaps between expected and perceived service quality. By addressing these gaps, healthcare providers can create a more supportive care environment and enhance overall patient well-being. Moreover, the concept of quality is paramount. It reflects the degree to which health services enhance the likelihood of desired outcomes, adhering to current professional standards. Assessing this quality often involves evaluating the perspectives of individuals receiving care; how well their needs are met or exceeded.