Abstract:
Client satisfaction is an important indicator of quality health care, and ascertaining their views
remain essential to providing quality health care. Hence, this study assessed clients' perspectives on
staff attitudinal and interpersonal factors that drive health care delivery in hospitals within Asante
Akyem Municipality, and to determine socio-demographic indicators of health services utilization.
This was a descriptive cross sectional study. A total of 1985 inhabitants, who utilized health services
in both public and private hospital settings in the municipality, were selected via cluster, simple and
convenient sampling techniques for the survey. A pre-tested and contextually prepared structured
questionnaire and interview guide were used to conduct the survey. Descriptive statistics (frequency
count and percentage) and binary logistic regression were performed using computer software
(STATA SE version 13). The interview data collected were analysed qualitatively using thematic
analysis - responses from respondents were categorized into themes. The findings indicate that
poor staff attitudes and work ethics affected health services delivery, utilization and intention to
patronize hospitals in the municipality. The study reveals that patients did not experience "real
satisfaction" of quality healthcare from most health facilities in the municipality. Although patients
who patronized private hospitals, especially First Klass Hospital were more satisfied with the health
care they received, the predictors of health services utilization were also socio-demographic related.
It emerged from the findings that female clients in the municipality are six times more likely to
utilize health services compared with their male counterparts with odds ratio of .683, and a
probability (p) value = .005. It is, therefore, recommended that health managers and policy makers
in both public and private hospital settings in the municipality should design in-service training to
enable their health care providers to demonstrate better relational empathy and non-verbal
behaviours during health care delivery. This is because a 'patient-centred approach remains crucial
for the delivery of high quality healthcare. |
