TY - JOUR
T1 - Factors influencing a long-term relationship between healthcare providers and patients – perspectives of patients at a public regional hospital, Ghana
AU - Adomah-Afari, Augustine
AU - Doris Darkoa Mantey, Doris
AU - Awuah-Werekoh, Kwasi
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© 2019, Emerald Publishing Limited.
PY - 2019/8/12
Y1 - 2019/8/12
N2 - 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.
AB - 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.
KW - Health care
KW - Long-term relationship
KW - Patient satisfaction
KW - Public hospitals
KW - Quality of care
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85068820670&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1108/IJPHM-05-2017-0021
DO - 10.1108/IJPHM-05-2017-0021
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85068820670
SN - 1750-6123
VL - 13
SP - 364
EP - 386
JO - International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing
JF - International Journal of Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Marketing
IS - 3
ER -