Authors: Patience Anima Agyei, Samuel Boateng
Abstract: Quality healthcare has become an important focus of healthcare delivery at both the national and global levels over the past decade. Ghana's ability to achieve Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 3 by 2030 largely depends on the capacity of healthcare facilities to deliver efficient and high-quality healthcare services. The overall aim of this study was to assess the quality of healthcare delivery in both private and public health facilities in Ghana. Specifically, the study examined the convenience of healthcare services provided in selected health facilities in the Bono Region, patients' perceptions of the quality of healthcare infrastructure, and their perceptions of the quality of care received from healthcare providers. The study adopted a quantitative research approach. Primary data were collected from 133 respondents selected through a convenience sampling technique. Data obtained from both in-patients and out-patients of the selected health facilities were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), and the findings were presented using descriptive statistics, particularly percentages. The findings revealed that, compared with private health facilities, public health facilities experienced delays in retrieving patients' medical records, had longer patient waiting times, and offered less flexible payment systems. The study also found that, compared with public health facilities, private facilities were less accessible to persons with disabilities (PWDs), had limited access to modern medical equipment, and were served by poorer road networks. Furthermore, patients perceived that staff in public health facilities was less likely to involve them in healthcare decision-making, provide adequate education about their medical conditions, or demonstrate empathy during care. The study concluded that private health facilities provide more convenient and flexible healthcare delivery processes than public health facilities, while public health facilities possess relatively better healthcare infrastructure. The study therefore recommends that the management of public health facilities strengthen customer relations training for healthcare personnel and adopt paperless medical record systems to improve service efficiency and patient satisfaction.
DOI: http://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.21472644
