Factors influencing a long-term relationship between healthcare providers and patients – perspectives of patients at a public regional hospital, Ghana
Augustine Adomah-Afari is currently a Lecturer in Health Policy, Planning & Management, School of public Health, University of Ghana. He received both MA and PhD from the Sheffield Business School, Sheffield Hallam University – the UK. He had also graduated from University of Ghana Business School in both BSc administration and MBA. He has worked as a Health Service Administrator (District and Regional Hospitals), Senior Health Service Administrator (HASS/GHS), Consultant (PHRplus-Ghana) and Administrator (Manor & Castle Development Trust Ltd – UK). His research interests include health system reforms, health policy, financing, planning and management, relationships marketing, human resources management and community-based organisations. Augustine Adomah-Afari can be contacted at: augustineafari@yahoo.co.uk
Doris Darkoa Mantey is a Senior Nursing Officer at the Regional Hospital, Koforidua, in the eastern region. She obtained MPH from the University of Ghana. She achieved other qualifications, including BSc (General Nursing) from the University of Ghana, state-registered nurse (SRN) from the Tamale Nurses’ Training College and midwifery from the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital. She has worked at the Tamale Teaching Hospital and Koforidua Regional Hospital spanning 15 years. Her research interests include health systems, policy and management and reproductive and family planning.
Kwasi Awuah-Werekoh is an Accounting and Finance Lecturer at the Business School, Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA). He is a Chartered Global Management Accountant (UK) with a PhD from the Birmingham University – the UK. He also holds MBA and MSc degrees from the Leicester University (UK) and Anglia Ruskin University (the UK), respectively. In addition, he holds a BSc in computer science from the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (Ghana) and a post-graduate diploma in education from the University of Cape Coast (Ghana). He has worked at different places in various capacities, including Operations Manager at Enterprise Development Centre (EDC – Ghana), Consultant at Ultimate Development Finance (Ghana), Head of Finance and Administration at Primus Services Limited (Ghana), Management Accountant/Lecturer at City of London Business College (the UK) and Head of IT Department at TechnoServe Ghana. His research interests are civil society and public sector accountability.
International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing
ISSN: 1750-6123
Article publication date: 12 July 2019
Issue publication date: 12 August 2019
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to determine the factors that influence patients’ long-term relationship with healthcare providers in healthcare delivery at hospitals.
Design/methodology/approach
Data were gathered using 170 patients in a cross-sectional survey with quantitative research methods at a public regional hospital. Results were obtained using descriptive analysis and regression analysis.
Findings
Generally, the study found that the health-related factors (the reception of staff, providers’ attitude, waiting time, competence and expertise and the hospital environment) that influence patients’ long-term relationship with the healthcare providers/hospital were statistically significant (p < 0.001). The findings showed that overall 90.0 per cent of the patients were very satisfied with the overall healthcare services at the hospital.
Research limitations/implications
Limited sample size, lack of examination of healthcare providers’ perspectives and non-application of qualitative methods make it difficult to give a true picture of how these can enhance patients’ intent to keep a long-term relationship with the healthcare providers/hospital.
Practical implications
The paper suggests that health policymakers and practitioners need to enhance measures that will make patients satisfied leading to their long-term commitment and cordial relationship with the healthcare providers/hospital.
Social implications
The study demonstrated how health-related factors will be associated with the patients’ agreement/intent to keep a long-term relationship with their service providers at hospitals. Thus, the overall hypothesis was true that there is a relationship between patients’ satisfaction with the healthcare experienced and their long-term relationship with healthcare providers/hospital.
Originality/value
This is one of the few studies conducted on the topic in the context of Ghana’s health sector. It recommends that there should be a good interpersonal relationship between healthcare providers and patients, as patients’ satisfaction is not based on only receiving treatment at the health facility.
Keywords
Citation
Adomah-Afari, A., Doris Darkoa Mantey, D. and Awuah-Werekoh, K. (2019), "Factors influencing a long-term relationship between healthcare providers and patients – perspectives of patients at a public regional hospital, Ghana", International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing, Vol. 13 No. 3, pp. 364-386. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJPHM-05-2017-0021
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
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