Patient satisfaction with primary health care - a comparison between the insured and non-insured under the National Health Insurance Policy in Ghana

TY - JOUR

T1 - Patient satisfaction with primary health care - a comparison between the insured and non-insured under the National Health Insurance Policy in Ghana

AU - Fenny, Ama Pokuaa

AU - Enemark, Ulrika

AU - Asante, Felix A

AU - Hansen, Kristian S

PY - 2014/7/1

Y1 - 2014/7/1

N2 - Ghana has initiated various health sector reforms over the past decades aimed at strengthening institutions, improving the overall health system and increasing access to healthcare services by all groups of people. The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) instituted in 2005, is an innovative system aimed at making health care more accessible to people who need it. Currently, there is a growing amount of concern about the capacity of the NHIS to make quality health care accessible to its clients. A number of studies have concentrated on the effect of health insurance status on demand for health services, but have been quiet on supply side issues. The main aim of this study is to examine the overall satisfaction with health care among the insured and uninsured under the NHIS. The second aim is to explore the relations between overall satisfaction and socio-demographic characteristics, health insurance and the various dimensions of quality of care. This study employs logistic regression using household survey data in three districts in Ghana covering the 3 ecological zones (coastal, forest and savannah). It identifies the service quality factors that are important to patients' satisfaction and examines their links to their health insurance status. The results indicate that a higher proportion of insured patients are satisfied with the overall quality of care compared to the uninsured. The key predictors of overall satisfaction are waiting time, friendliness of staff and satisfaction of the consultation process. These results highlight the importance of interpersonal care in health care facilities. Feedback from patients' perception of health services and satisfaction surveys improve the quality of care provided and therefore effort must be made to include these findings in future health policies.

AB - Ghana has initiated various health sector reforms over the past decades aimed at strengthening institutions, improving the overall health system and increasing access to healthcare services by all groups of people. The National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) instituted in 2005, is an innovative system aimed at making health care more accessible to people who need it. Currently, there is a growing amount of concern about the capacity of the NHIS to make quality health care accessible to its clients. A number of studies have concentrated on the effect of health insurance status on demand for health services, but have been quiet on supply side issues. The main aim of this study is to examine the overall satisfaction with health care among the insured and uninsured under the NHIS. The second aim is to explore the relations between overall satisfaction and socio-demographic characteristics, health insurance and the various dimensions of quality of care. This study employs logistic regression using household survey data in three districts in Ghana covering the 3 ecological zones (coastal, forest and savannah). It identifies the service quality factors that are important to patients' satisfaction and examines their links to their health insurance status. The results indicate that a higher proportion of insured patients are satisfied with the overall quality of care compared to the uninsured. The key predictors of overall satisfaction are waiting time, friendliness of staff and satisfaction of the consultation process. These results highlight the importance of interpersonal care in health care facilities. Feedback from patients' perception of health services and satisfaction surveys improve the quality of care provided and therefore effort must be made to include these findings in future health policies.

KW - Adolescent

KW - Adult

KW - Aged

KW - Female

KW - Ghana

KW - Humans

KW - Male

KW - Medically Uninsured

KW - Middle Aged

KW - National Health Programs

KW - Patient Satisfaction

KW - Primary Health Care

KW - Quality Indicators, Health Care

KW - Quality of Health Care

KW - Socioeconomic Factors

KW - Waiting Lists

KW - Young Adult

KW - Journal Article

U2 - 10.5539/gjhs.v6n4p9

DO - 10.5539/gjhs.v6n4p9

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 24999137

SN - 1916-9736

VL - 6

SP - 9

EP - 21

JO - Global journal of health science

JF - Global journal of health science

IS - 4

ER -