Patients versus healthcare providers’ perceptions of quality of care: Establishing the gaps for policy action
Clinical Governance: An International Journal
ISSN: 1477-7274
Article publication date: 5 October 2015
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to find out whether there are any significant gaps in perceptions of quality of care between patients and healthcare providers in Ghana’s hospitals.
Design/methodology/approach
A cross-sectional survey of patients seeking outpatient consultations in 17 general hospitals in Ghana was conducted. A total of 818 patients and 152 hospital managers were interviewed. A 22-item quality of care scale was used in data collection. Data were analysed with the aid SPSS version 20. Summary statistics and t-test were used to analyse the data.
Findings
There was a significant difference in the overall perception of quality of care between patients and healthcare providers (Patients: M=89.11, SD=11.457; Providers: M=94.60, SD=10.922; t (845) −4.956, p < 001, two-tailed). Also, 18 items out of the 22-item quality of care scale showed significant difference between patients and providers. However, levels of quality of care is generally rated fairly favourably by both category of respondents.
Research limitations/implications
Further study is required to explore the reasons for the perceived quality gaps between patients and healthcare providers.
Practical implications
Management of hospitals need to evaluate patients’ perceptions of quality of care to inform measures aimed at improving quality of care, since what they may consider as good quality service may be rated less favourably by patients.
Originality/value
Comparing perceptions of quality between patients and healthcare providers is important in order adopt measures to address any differences in perceptions of quality between the two stakeholders. To the best of the author’s knowledge no study has been conducted in Ghana to that effect.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
The authors would like to thank the research assistants for their hard work in the field. The authors are also grateful to Olutobi Adekunle Sanuade of the Regional Institute for Population studies for his helpful comments and suggestions.
Citation
Abuosi, A.A. (2015), "Patients versus healthcare providers’ perceptions of quality of care: Establishing the gaps for policy action", Clinical Governance: An International Journal, Vol. 20 No. 4, pp. 170-182. https://doi.org/10.1108/CGIJ-03-2015-0010
Publisher
:Emerald Group Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2015, Emerald Group Publishing Limited