Assessing Service Quality in the Ghanaian Private Healthcare Sector: The Case of Comboni Hospital.

The healthcare industry has become a paramount concern for most people in Ghana and the quality of services rendered to the patients in the private hospitals cannot be overemphasized. Patients need quality of services most and are willing to seek better services. The government has been the main provider of health care services in Ghana but recently, some Non-Governmental Organization’s (NGO’s), private individuals and stakeholders also provide health care services which has surged the competitiveness in creating more healthcare facilities in Ghana. This study seeks to explore patients' choice of selecting quality healthcare services and the factors that affect patient satisfaction in private hospitals using the case of Comboni Hospital in Sogakope, Ghana. The study therefore used the quantitative research method to collect the data and SPSS version 22 was used to analyze the data on high-quality healthcare. The SERVQUAL model was used as the measurement scale. Multiple regression analysis was used to reveal the effect of the independent variables (reliability, responsiveness, empathy, assurance, and tangibility) on the dependent variable (patient satisfaction). A detailed description in the analysis and the data processing identified the main factors affecting the general perceptions and patient preferences about their healthcare in the private hospital. The study revealed that there exist a positive result and perception for quality healthcare services without a negative expectation of the patient healthcare being compromised. The study recommends that both the government and the private agencies should consider the important aspects of the hospital’s healthcare management and also the policy and decision makers should have an efficient and effective standard that impact the quality of healthcare assessment in Ghana

Factors Influencing Patient Satisfaction in Shahroud Hospitals in 2018

Background: Patient satisfaction is one of important indicators of quality of service measurement. This study aimed at measuring patient satisfaction and factors which influence it in hospitals in Shahroud.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 800 patients selected through random sampling were studied in public and private hospitals in 2018. The collected data were entered into SPSS 16 and analyzed using t-test and chi-square. The level of significance in all tests is 0.05.Results: Most of the inpatients were women and married people. The average score of satisfaction in the public hospitals affiliated to the University was 22.45 ± 6.02 and in the private sector, it was 21.56 ± 5, which is deemed moderate. Patients were the most dissatisfied with the daily change of patient dresses and bed covers (38.3%), hospital food quality (35.3%), room facilities (31.1%), and were the most satisfied with nursing behaviors (87.7%). Chi-square test showed a significant relationship between the type of hospital (P = 0.002), patients’ age (P = 0.037), education (P = 0.013), and residence (P = 0.012) with their satisfaction.Conclusion: Patients' satisfaction was moderate. Paying more attention to the domains such as daily change of clothes and bed covers, the quality of hospital food, and facilities of the patient's room can play a role in improving the satisfaction of patients

Factors Influencing Patient Satisfaction in Shahroud Hospitals in 2018

Background: Patient satisfaction is one of important indicators of quality of service measurement. This study aimed at measuring patient satisfaction and factors which influence it in hospitals in Shahroud.Methods: In this cross-sectional study, 800 patients selected through random sampling were studied in public and private hospitals in 2018. The collected data were entered into SPSS 16 and analyzed using t-test and chi-square. The level of significance in all tests is 0.05.Results: Most of the inpatients were women and married people. The average score of satisfaction in the public hospitals affiliated to the University was 22.45 ± 6.02 and in the private sector, it was 21.56 ± 5, which is deemed moderate. Patients were the most dissatisfied with the daily change of patient dresses and bed covers (38.3%), hospital food quality (35.3%), room facilities (31.1%), and were the most satisfied with nursing behaviors (87.7%). Chi-square test showed a significant relationship between the type of hospital (P = 0.002), patients’ age (P = 0.037), education (P = 0.013), and residence (P = 0.012) with their satisfaction.Conclusion: Patients' satisfaction was moderate. Paying more attention to the domains such as daily change of clothes and bed covers, the quality of hospital food, and facilities of the patient's room can play a role in improving the satisfaction of patients

Patient Satisfaction With Hospital Foodservice and its Impact on Plate Waste in Public Hospitals in East Malaysia

Background: Foodservice is an important issue in hospital settings, and patients’ levels of satisfaction are often indicated by consumption and plate waste. Objective: The current study compared patient satisfaction in hospital areas and other factors and determined the relationship between patient satisfaction and plate waste. Methods: This quantitative research was performed in four East Malaysian public hospitals. Patients at these hospitals were asked to complete a questionnaire which had three parts: A) general information, B) patient satisfaction questionnaire (Acute Care Hospital Foodservice Patient Satisfaction Questionnaire), and C) plate waste scale (Comstock 6-point scale). Results: A total of 189 patients participated. The results indicated that overall, 53.3%, 29.3%, 14.1%, 2.7%, and 0.5% of respondents rated the hospital foodservice as okay, good, poor, very good, and very poor, respectively. Average plate waste was 35% for all hospitals, and only 11% of patients finished all the food served. Satisfaction with hospital food differed according to the catering system (in-house and outsourced). However, the results also indicated that satisfaction with hospital foodservice was not significantly related to food wastage (r=-0.018, n=189, P=0.809). Conclusion: Various factors in hospital foodservice, especially food quality, should be improved to motivate patients to consume hospital food

Inpatient’s Satisfaction of Therapeutic Diet at AL- Khor Hospital - Hamad Medical Corporation – State of Qatar

Background: A patient’s level of satisfaction is considered an essential determinant for quality hospital food services, as it has been linked with nutrient intake and optimum nutritional requirements which contribute significantly to the care and recovery of patients. Objectives: This hospital-based cross-sectional study aims to evaluate the inpatient’s level of satisfaction regarding their therapeutic diets in different wards at AL-Khor hospital - Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) in the state of Qatar. Methods: The assessment of patients’ satisfaction regarding therapeutic diets of main meals was performed over six months (April-September) 2019, for each patient, on different types of therapeutic diets, was carried out through face-to-face interviews to evaluate his/her response regarding satisfaction dimensions. Satisfaction was measured as general satisfaction, per meal satisfaction, and per satisfaction dimensions. Results: The findings of the study show that most patients (88.6%) were satisfied with their therapeutic diet. Main meals satisfaction was (88.8%,89.4%,87.7%) for breakfast, lunch, and dinner respectively. The highest satisfaction dimension was meal timing (93.2%) while food choices were the lowest satisfied dimension (72.0%). The major issue for the dissatisfaction among patients was food choice and texture (72.0% & 74.2%) respectively. Conclusion: Both patient satisfaction regarding therapeutic diet and the quality of food services at AL-Khor hospital – HMC- Qatar were extremely valuable. all satisfaction dimension’s on dinner meals had the lowest satisfaction compared with breakfast and lunch meals, affecting therapeutic diet overall patients’ satisfaction, which warrants improvement. Keywords: satisfaction level; food choice; food quality; texture, dimensions. DOI: 10.7176/FSQM/119-04 Publication date:September 30th 2022

Service quality at a military hospital

M.A. (Business Management)With the raise of competition in the Gabonese health industry and increased costs, most health service providers in Gabon have become under pressure to deliver good service quality. This also relates to the military hospital in Libreville in Gabon striving to provide adequate health services to its patients. The cost for hospitals to attract patients through several means such as providing good service quality has become crucial. Patient loyalty and retention can have an important financial advantage for a hospital, thus it has become essential for hospitals to create a sustaining relationship with their patients. The question of assessing service quality presents itself. This study investigated service quality at a military hospital in Libreville in Gabon. It was the objective of this study to establish if there is a difference in how patients rate doctors and nurses on the service quality dimensions. This research was quantitative and descriptive in nature. Theory relating to service quality and patient satisfaction was provided. The population for the study consisted of patients who were at least 18 years old, males and females, who have experienced medical services and stayed over at the military hospital for at least one night. A self administered questionnaire was designed based on the theoretical literature illustrated in the study. The questionnaire assessed various elements that were identified through the literature review. The questionnaire was based on a set of statements linked to the literature theory, and a 7-point Likert scale which enabled respondents to choose from seven different alternatives ranging from strongly disagree to strongly agree. A number of statistical analysis techniques were undertaken to achieve the objectives of the study, such as factor analysis. The conclusion and findings of the research assisted in explaining the objectives of the study and the results of the statistical analysis were found to reject the hypotheses that there is no significant difference in how patients rate the reliability, responsiveness, assurance and empathy of doctors and nurses and to reject the hypothesis that patients do not have a positive perception of the tangible aspects of a military hospital in Libreville, Gabon. In terms of the doctors’ services, patients felt a need for more privacy in terms of the confidentiality of their treatment, a need for more individual attention, a need to be heard, and to trust doctors. Therefore such needs could be addressed through improved compassion, communication and understanding of doctors during the diagnosis of the problem. The feeling expressed was that doctors should pay more attention to patients’ problems and share with them their experience. Doctors at the military hospital should develop more work ethic where patients’ records and cases should never be discussed with anyone without patients’ permission. The military hospital should employ highly trained and qualified doctors to address the trust issue with patients. Lastly, consultation time may need to be reviewed to add some extra time to better address patients’ needs during their consultation with doctors. In terms of the services delivered by nurses towards patients, the latter were of the opinion that there was a need for more individual attention from nurses. Such individual attention could include greater information sharing when a patient is treated, friendlier communication to install greater trust and respect. Such needs could be addressed through improved patience, compassion and understanding by nurses during their dealings with patients. Nurses should also develop more work ethic regarding patients’ records, and cases should never be discussed with anyone without their permission. Officials in the hospital should hire highly trained and qualified nurses to address the issue of trust in patients and consultation time may need to be reviewed to add some extra time to better address patients’ needs during their dealings with nurses

What Do Patients Value in the Hospital Meal Experience?

A number of previous studies have reported on the aspects of hospital food service that patients value, but usually as a secondary finding, and not generally based upon patient-centred approaches. This study employed a questionnaire produced ab initio from interviews with patients and hospital staff, the data from which were subjected to factor and cluster analysis, in order to identify and prioritise the factors that contribute to the meal experience empirically. The most important factors, food and service were as identified by other authors. In decreasing order of importance were social, personal and situational factors. The results confirm that improving the quality of the food and the efficiency with which it reaches the patients remain the most important objectives of hospital food service

Professional burnout of family physicians: experience of the research and problem-solving in the USA

The purpose of the research. The main purpose of the study is to find out the experience of researching and solving the problem of professional burnout for physicians including family ones in the United States, by analyzing recent surveys and scientific papers of American and European scientists. Methodology. While working on the article, general scientific theoretical methods were used to accom-plish the tasks and achieve the purpose of the research. The methodological basis of the research was the structural-functional method, which allowed considering the phenomenon of professional burnout as a whole with separate elements and their dependencies. Using a historical method, a brief overview of the research development by US scientists on the problem of professional burnout of physicians with a focus on key events that occurred at each of the stages highlighted in the scientific papers. A comparative method was used to compare the results of surveys of different years and topics, data presented in the proceedings of the scientists, and research approaches. Methods of systematization and generalization were used to formulate the paper’s conclusions, in particular, to highlight the essential features of the American research experience and practical problem solution of professional burnout of physicians. Results. It has been found that the professional burnout of physicians has been a matter of concern for the government, professional medical associations, and the general public for physicians of various US specialties for a long time. Although burnout affects physicians of all disciplines, it has been discovered that, among family physicians, this phenomenon exceeds the average level, especially compared to the general economically active population of the United States. Two approaches to identifying and reducing the risk of occupational burnout in the United States have been identified and characterized: the first approach covers measures aimed directly at a physician, that is, a specific individual, and the second, involves measures aimed at an organization, that is, a medical institution. It has been found that Ameri-can scientists have concluded that organizational measures are more effective, but the first approach should be applied as a first step in overcoming professional burnout. Practical meaning. The results of the research are applicable for further scientific exploration and practical problem solution of professional burnout of physicians, including family ones, in Ukraine. Prospects for further research. Meth-odology of surveys of physicians of various specialties on burnout, depresdepression and professional satisfac-tion. Factors of professional burnout for family physicians in Ukraine

A Conceptual Model of Developing a Measurement Tool for Hospital Food Service Operation in Malaysia

This study aims to provide and identify the best tools for measuring the quality of food service in Malaysian hospitals. The discussion focuses on the models used to evaluate the performance of food service operation in hospitals, as well as review critiques, issues, and the latest findings. Many tools have been introduced in the previous studies. However, the decision about the best fit tool to measure the quality of hospital food service is still unclear. Future study should be conducted, and an empirical test that examines various dimensions, such as food and meal service quality, staff/service issues and physical environment must be considered in the evaluation.Keywords: hospital food service; patients’ satisfaction;  measurement tool; performanceeISSN: 2398-4287 © 2019. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA cE-Bs by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. This is an open access article under the CC BYNC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/). Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.DOI: https://doi.org/10.21834/e-bpj.v4i10.161