Factors Affecting Provision of Quality Service in the Public Health Sector: A Case of Nyahururu District Hospital, Kenya
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In healthcare industry service quality has become an imperative in providing patient satisfaction because delivering quality service directly affects the patient’s satisfaction. The public health sector should ensure patients receive the best health service, but this has not been the case. By the start of the millennium, the quality of service in public hospitals in Kenya declined. Therefore this research study sought to investigate factors affecting provision of quality service in public
health sector in Kenya with specific reference to Nyahururu District Hospital. A Conceptual framework explaining the relationship between (the independent variables-factors) status of employee capacity, technology advancement and availability of financial resources, and how they influence service quality in the Public health sector in Kenya (dependent variable- outcome) is developed. The study used a descriptive survey approach in collecting data. Thereafter the study used stratified random sampling to get the target population of 129 respondents who included Doctors, Nurses, Clinical Officers, Lab Technologists and Pharmacists. This sample size was considered representative and comprehensive in the coverage of the study objectives. The primary data for this study was collected using self-administered questionnaires. Quantitative data, which was collected using closed ended questions in the questionnaires, was chronologically arranged and then coded. Data cleaning was then done and tabulated and analyzed through the help of Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS 11.0).
Presentation of data was in form of tables, pie-charts and bar graphs only. The data was then analyzed using descriptive approach such as frequency, percentages, means and standard deviations. Qualitative data checklist was developed for qualitative data and then analyzed through content analysis. From the findings the study concluded that organization must enhance employee’s capacity in order to improve provision of service quality. From the findings the study concluded that public health sectors should improve the level of adoption of technology and willingness to invest and advance in modern
technology in order to facilitate service assessment, improve process and communication which are essential for effective and efficient quality service in public health sector in Kenya. Use of more than one communication means to inform, persuade and educate the customer is also required. From the findings the study concluded that management should emphasize on the use of upward, horizontal and vertical communication channels in order to provide information to upper level managers about activities and performances throughout the organization as well as improving individual participation in provision of quality service .From the conclusion the study recommended that management in public health sector should improve employee’s capacity to enhance provision of health service quality. Adequate number of high skilled and experienced employees, effective recruitment should be adopted to improve monitoring of doctors and staff, meeting performance and practice standards enhances service quality provision.
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