OBJECTIVES:  The study aimed to determine the health care quality in public and private hospitals of Punjab province of Pakistan and to recognize the shortage of facilities and numerous provider and facility factors in hospitals that seriously affect the patients’ health status. METHODS:  A cross-sectional questionnaire based survey was conducted from December 2015-March 2016. A total of 424 patients were selected who were admitted and utilizing the services of different public and private hospitals of selected cities using systemic random sampling technique. Data was summarized by applying descriptive statistics like frequencies, percentages, mean, median, standard deviation and inter quartile range while significant association and difference between various dependent and independent variables was determined by chi square test, Mann-Whitney U test and Kruskal Wallis tests. A p value less than 0.05 was determined as significant level. RESULTS:  On an average 46% respondents had good expectations towards healthcare services provided in the hospitals (before their visit) but when we assessed their satisfaction level (after their visit) it was found that majority of the respondents (n=320; 80%) had overall satisfaction score below the average expectation score (median=6, IQR=4; 46% of total expectation score). Only 20% (n=80) of the respondents had percent satisfaction score greater than the percent average expectation score. The overall satisfaction score in private sector hospitals was significantly greater (p<0.05) than public sector hospitals. CONCLUSIONS:  Results of study demonstrated that patients were more satisfied with the services provided by private hospital services but respondents were especially dissatisfied from the insufficient time given by the doctors for their proper examination and diagnosis.