Information about the Health Care System in Ghana - Research Paper Example

? An Assessment Satisfaction among of Hospitals in Ghana Lecturer: The research project provided succinct background information about the health care system in Ghana. The main research objective was identified since the research was interested in finding the level of customer satisfaction among varied university hospitals in Ghana. The researcher provided a problem statement and employed varied literature materials to examine the way previous researchers have focused on the research topic. The researcher utilized both methods of research including mixed, quantitative and qualitative research methods to gather adequate information about the research topic. Statistical analysis was carried out and later research findings provided. The conclusion was included that provided a brief summary of what was disused in the research project. An Assessment of Customer Satisfaction among Clients of University Hospitals in Ghana Introduction/Background The healthcare system in Ghana has been concerned about provision of high quality of healthcare services to all citizens. However, improvements in quality service provisions have been slow partly because advanced activities have received insufficient priority (Turkson, 2009; Folland, Goodman and Stano, 2010; Hordacre, Taylor, Pirone and Adams, 2009).Given the diversity of health care system across Africa, the improvements in health care system would be contingent upon the convergence of commitment and equitable distribution of resources within the system (Odeyemi and Nixon, 2013; Hutchinson, Do and Agha, 2011). Ghana is one of the African countries that have made significant efforts to improve health care systems in varied places across the country through decentralizing governing structures by linking them with the health system to communities, as well as, improving information systems to enable better service delivery and easy accessibility. Research Objectives Main Objective The research will attempt to examine the level of customer satisfaction among varied clients of university hospitals in Ghana. Specific Objective To examine the extent to which patients are satisfied to their health care services providers among varied clients of university hospitals in Ghana. Problem Statement The research studies of customer satisfaction among clients in many leading university hospitals have been conducted; thus varied scholars have attempted to offer their views on this aspect. According to Nketiah-Amponsah and Hiemenz (2009), quality of services is gaining momentum in many healthcare systems across the globe; thus many hospitals have made significant efforts to reform the system in order to deliver effective services that satisfy their clients. Many hospitals fail to recognize the satisfaction of patients and yet this is one of the significant components of assessing the health care quality services (Akazili, Adjuik, Jehu-Appiah and Zere, 2008; Ansah Ofei, 2011; Hoerger, Finkelstein and Bernard, 2011). The quality of healthcare is confined to clinical efficiency, economic effectiveness and incorporation of social acceptability as well as accountability; thus these are among the main determinants of effective health care quality services. Literature Review The measures of client satisfaction in healthcare system have been proven to be the major significant aspect for improving the health care systems (Bazant and Koenig, 2009; Institute of medicine, 2009; Mallik, Hall and Howard, 2009). The patient satisfaction is the major aspect for measuring quality outcome in many hospitals (Verbeek et al., 2011; Khaled, and Bassey, 2009; Mallik, Hall, Howard and Sinclair, 2010). The extent to which patients are satisfied with the healthcare service providers is one of the major factors underpinning their health behavior and health care utilization (Roger and Anita, 2013; Fredrik & Jostein, 2010 Rogers, Randolph and Mastroianni, 2009; Roger, 2012). Ofili and Ofovwe (2009) argue that many factors influence patient’s satisfaction and one of them is efficiency of service provided to patients. The research study conducted to determine the efficiency of services provided to clients in many university hospitals revealed that higher percentage of clients were satisfied with the efficiency of services offered in the leading university hospitals (Derose, Hays, McCaffrey and Baker, 2011; Gilbody and Bower, 2011). The research revealed that many of the clients were satisfied with the waiting time for consultations, hospitals sanitations and laboratory services that are offered in an efficient manner (Atinga, Abekah-Nkrumah and Domfeh, 2011). According to the World Health Organization (2012), improved health status contributes to increased productivity, better education performance and les expenditure on health care, as well as, increased life expectancy. However, many African countries are unable to deliver satisfactory health care services; thus there is need to carry out effective consumer satisfaction assessments in order to determine the demanding needs of clients (Chu-Weininger and Balkrishnan, 2012; Dekker and Dijk, 2010;Quaye, 2010). The worsening indices of health status in many developing nations demand an effective way of focusing on how to organize health care systems and address the complex aspects that lie beyond the influence of formal health sector (Kabbash et al., 2010; Cohen, 2009; Rouleau, et al., 2012; Roberts and Yeager, 2009). Therefore, carrying out client satisfaction assessment programs in healthcare sector and employing decentralized approaches towards tackling the issue of health care issues are significant. Carr-Hill (2010) asserts that advances in drugs, managerial systems and improved medical knowledge in the contemporary society have created health care systems that can deliver best care. However, the high health care costs and unequal access to medical facilities, as well as erratic quality of services are among the unsustainable ways that have drugged many health care systems in developing nations behind (Australian National Health Informatics Conference, Hansen, Maeder and Schaper, 2011, p. 36). Research Methods The research will employ quantitative and qualitative, as well as, mixed research methods to assess the satisfaction level of customers among clients for university hospitals in Ghana. Mixed Methods The critical goal of using mixed research method was to tackle the given research questions from any relevant angle; thus making use, where suitable, of the previous research or more than one investigative perception. This approach is more comprehensive because it enables the researcher to tackle the problem from any point of view by blending both quantitative and quantitative research methods; thus collecting appropriate data from relevant sources. In this case, the research study will make use of varied assessments processes conducted in Ghana to collect detailed information on the client satisfaction in the university hospitals in Ghana. Quantitative Method In this method, the researcher will employ sample surveys, questionnaires and carry out statistical analysis in order to collect adequate data to determine the level of client satisfaction among the customers in the universities of Ghana. a) Sample Surveys/ Questionnaires The sample surveys will be designed in form of questionnaires and distributed to varied participants in the study area of interest in order to gather adequate information about client satisfaction among university hospital clients in Ghana. In this case, the university hospital will be chosen randomly for research survey, and then questions will be distributed among varied participants from various university hospitals in Ghana. b) Statistical Analysis The use of statistical analysis will enable the researcher to assess the extent to which clients of university hospitals in Ghana receive effective satisfaction with the services offered by health care providers. Therefore, table 1 below provides information based on varied measures of customer satisfaction levels. Identified Problems Comments Time waited Fairly good Quality of treatment and examination received Good Confidentiality of hospital information Excellent Privacy during consultation Fairly Good Cleanliness of hospital facilities Fair Customer handling Poor Treatment costs Better Availability of medicine Very Poor Table 1: Measures of customer Satisfaction Qualitative Method The researcher will also utilize qualitative research method in order to determine whether clients are satisfied with the services offered by health care providers in the university hospital. Therefore, the researcher will utilize focused group discussions, interviews and among other qualitative techniques in data collection. Findings/Results From the research methods employed, clients of university hospitals in Ghana appear not to be fully satisfied with the services offered by the health care providers in the hospitals. There are most likely attributes for effective factors that contribute to better satisfaction to a number of clients including shorter waiting times during consultations, higher level of privacy, better treatment costs and among other aspects. Anbori et al. (2010) argue the limitations of efficient and advancement health care facilities and poor quality services are among the problems facing many health care sectors in African countries. Therefore, an effective and sustainable model for advancement in health care system is crucial because it can help to reverse the declining trends in health and development status; thus breaking the vicious cycle of poverty in African countries. Although many university hospitals have made significant efforts to advance the health care system, there are still some problems impeding clients trying to access effective service; thus poor satisfaction (Chahal, Sharma and Gupta, 2011; Schieber, Cashin and Saleh, 2012). About 80 percent of the respondents were satisfied with the time they waited for consultation and treatment; however, the lower proportions were dissatisfied with the treatment offered and high costs of services (Agha and Do, 2009; Roger and Anita, 2013). Moreover, 54 percent of clients were very satisfied with the care provision offered and some of them were perceived to have poor attitudes to healthcare providers (Kwast, 2009; Khoumbati, 2010). Although some clients appeared to be satisfied with the kind of services they receive, the rating of the satisfaction level is still poor as indicated in the diagram below. Stanback and Twum-Baah (2011) argue that the clients’ satisfaction is generally considered as the extent to which the client feels his or her needs and expectations are met by service providers. This justifies the reason as to why some patients were satisfied while others were not satisfied and others were very satisfied with the services offered to them. Satisfied Very Satisfied Dissatisfied Lowly Satisfied Others Level of Satisfaction Recommendations One of the recommendations for this research study is that there is a need for the researcher to carry out effective consumer satisfaction assessments in order to determine the demanding needs of clients among varied university hospitals in Ghana. Secondly, the researcher should also focus on factors that influence patient’s satisfaction among varied university hospitals and find the possible solutions that will enable healthcare providers to overcome such issues. Lastly, it is a recommendation for the research to focus on the factors that hinder not only care providers from delivering effective services but also those factors that hinder patients from accessing effective services in varied university hospitals. Moreover, there is a need for future research studies to focus on the quality outcome of clients by measuring patient satisfaction level and also find the problems impacting patients when seeking to access effective services among clients of varied university hospitals in Ghana. Conclusion In conclusion, the research attempted to examine the level of customer satisfaction among varied clients of university hospitals in Ghana. The main aim of the research project was to find the level of customer satisfaction among varied university hospitals in Ghana. The research problem indicated that many hospitals fail to recognize the satisfaction of patients and yet this is one of the significant components of assessing the health care quality services. Therefore, varied materials were employed to justify the way previous researchers have focused on the research topic. Mixed, quantitative and qualitative research methods were employed in gathering sufficient information about the research topic. 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