Edmond Tale-Er*, Foster Abrampa Opoku-Mensah and Vitalis Bawontuo
The responsiveness of healthcare systems to non-medical patient needs is a crucial determinant of patient satisfaction and healthcare quality. These non-medical needs include dignity, autonomy, confidentiality, and communication. In many Low and Middle-Income Countries (LMICs) like Ghana, healthcare systems often prioritize medical care, overlooking non-medical aspects, especially in public healthcare facilities. This study aims to assess and compare the responsiveness of healthcare services to non-medical patient needs in public and private healthcare settings within Jirapa Municipality, Ghana. Using a comparative cross-sectional study design, 96 patients from both public and private healthcare facilities participated in a purely quantitative study. Data were collected using structured questionnaires based on the World Health Organization’s health system responsiveness model. Results indicate that private healthcare facilities generally perform better in meeting non-medical patient needs, especially in domains such as dignity, autonomy, and communication. Outpatient services and insured patients also report higher responsiveness compared to inpatient services and uninsured patients. These findings highlight the need for policy interventions to improve the non-medical aspects of care in public healthcare settings.
Published Date: 2025-04-25; Received Date: 2024-09-18
