An assessment of health care delivery in public and private hospitals in the central business district of Kumasi Metropolis. A study of selected hospitals

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Date
2015
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Abstract
The two core functions identified within the health sector in Ghana are: Policy formulation, regulation and coordination of the actions of actors in the sector; and Implementation of policy via service delivery. The performance of these functions still appears to leave healthcare delivery systems ineffective in developing countries. The focus of the study was to assess the challenges that constrain healthcare delivery and to ascertain patients’ perception about healthcare delivery in public and private hospitals within the Central Business District of Kumasi Metropolis. The specific objectives were: to assess the perceptions of patients about healthcare delivery in public and private hospitals; to identify the challenges confronting healthcare delivery; to determine challenges common to both sectors and challenges peculiar to each sector and make recommendations to inform policy. The study adopted a case study research design and the data collected were analysed qualitatively and quantitatively. The researcher used multiple sampling techniques to enable her reduce the possibility of research limitations. The analysis of data collected through secondary data and interview and questionnaire from the sampled respondents revealed that the difference in perception of patients about healthcare delivery in public and private hospitals within Central Business District of Kumasi Metropolis was mixed considering the various factors assessed. It was also found that healthcare delivery in both private and public hospitals are undermined by challenges such as frequent power outages and breakdown of equipment, inadequate staff and logistics. Congestion was found unique to have been a major constraint in public hospitals’ operations. The study concludes by arguing that the challenges constraining effective healthcare delivery are fundamental to both private and public hospitals and demands concerted efforts not only from the Ministry of Health, the Ghana Health Service but also the very management of the various health institutions. The researcher therefore recommends that patients awaiting consultation should be given periodic updates and doctors should inform patients always about their health conditions because of practical benefit it will be for the patients to manage their lifestyle. The implementation of community sponsorship in admission and training of health students is recommended to reduce unfair distribution and inadequate health workers. Proposals should also be developed by hospitals to seek logistics and equipment support from non-governmental organisations whose focus is to ensure healthy population. Better management of the NHIS to encourage more private hospitals/health facilities to become service providers so as to reduce congestion at public health facilities.
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A Thesis Submitted to the Department of Planning, College of Art and Built Environment Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Kumasi, In Partial fulfilment of the requirements for the Degree of Master of Science in Development Policy and Planning,
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