Patients’ Perception and satisfaction of cost of treatment and health facilities at the University of Benin Teaching Hospital and Central Hospital, Benin, South – South, Nigeria

Abstract

Patients’ satisfaction is the extent to which patients perceive their health needs are met by the institution saddled with the responsibility of, meeting the health needs of the people. The quality of facilities, quality of services rendered, cost of treatment are factors that influenced the continuous utilization of health care. This study examined the perception of patients on quality of health care delivery in relation to cost of treatment, health facilities, compliance to treatment process, utilization of health care, recommendation of health for others in two government hospitals in Benin city. A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out and patients’ views were sought and obtained by use of structured questionnaires and focus group discussions. Data were analyzed using the statistical package for social sciences (SPSS) version (21) to determine association among variables. Focus Group Discussion reports were written in summary paragraphs. Results indicated that patients’ perception of quality of health care delivery in terms of cost of treatment, facilities and service performance correlated with utilization of health services, compliance to treatment process and recommendation of health care system to others. Other factors like patient desire to get well, perceived result achieved, availability of expertise doctors and lack of better alternatives to patients were also determinants. The qualities of facilities present in each hospital and amount charged for treatment have direct and indirect impact on patients’ level of utilization of that hospital. Understanding the implication of these factors and how they affect the quality of health care delivery in public hospitals and elsewhere will go a long way in improving the quality of health care delivery.