Patient Satisfaction with Service Quality of a Private Health Facility in Accra, Ghana.

Background: The Ministry of Health of Ghana, over the last few decades, has resolved to improve the quality of healthcare delivery to enhance patients' satisfaction. However, there are challenges in the realization of this objective, especially in the private healthcare sector where the government has minimal control over. Objective: To assess patient satisfaction with service quality at Sonotech Medical and Diagnostic Centres, a private hospital in the Greater Accra Region. Methodology: The study adopted a facility-based cross-sectional study design using quantitative methods to gather data from 396 respondents using multistage sampling techniques. Stata version 16 was used to analyze the data. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the socio-demographic, healthcare facility factors [independent variables]. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the association between the independent variables and dependent variable [patient satisfaction]. Statistical significance was measured at p<0.05. Results: The level of patients' satisfaction was high (M=4.039, SD=1.099). All service quality dimensions: [(tangibility (M=4.009, SD=0.965), assurance (M=3.992, SD=1.010), reliability (M=3.904, SD=1.122), responsiveness (M=3.889, SD=1.014), and empathy (M=3.869, SD=1.065)] recorded high scores. The study found that age (β = 0.586; p = 0.024), income (β=0.425; p=0.028), and branch of the facility (β=0.251; p=0.083) significantly influenced patient satisfaction with service quality. The study found that service quality/healthcare factors such as responsiveness β= 0. 028; p = 0. 013), assurance (β= 0.032; p = 0.007), and tangibility (β =0.17; p=0.043) were significantly associated with patient satisfaction. Conclusion: Patient satisfaction with service quality was influenced by responsiveness, assurance, and tangibility. The study concludes that the management of Sonotech Medical and Diagnostic Centres would have to pay close attention to the components under the dimensions of tangibility, assurance, and responsiveness as they remain key determinants of patients' satisfaction. Policymakers in the healthcare sector could also use these indicators to intensify collaboration with healthcare providers in the private sector to develop strategies to enhance the quality of care delivery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Journal of Caring Sciences is the property of International Journal of Caring Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)