CUSTOMER SATISFACTION TOWARDS HOSPITALS A STUDY ON SELECTED HOSPITALS AT SHIVAMOGGA CITY The opening of Indian economy since 1991 has given a new dimension to the economic structure of the country. The service sector is contributing more than 50% to the GDP. In service sector the contribution of healthcare sector towards GDP is significant. India will spend a huge         Rs 200,000 crore on healthcare in the next five years as the country witnessing changes in its demographic profile accompanied with lifestyle diseases and increasing medical expenses. Nearly 80 per cent of the required investment is coming from the private sector. The government spending on healthcare is around 0.9 per cent of the total GDP, which limits the extent and effectiveness of the coverage it can provide. Private healthcare will continue to be the largest component in 2012 and is likely to double to   Rs 156,000 crore. Therefore the study focuses on services provided by private hospitals.  Â