Determinants of Hepatitis-Related Service Quality by Patients in Ghana: Implications for Quality Improvement.

Abstract

Hepatitis B infection remains a public health concern in Ghana with about 8.4% of the adult population chronically infected. A number of these patients access care in health facilities, yet the extent to which they perceive the care quality is not documented. We used exploratory descriptive qualitative study to understand the factors that shape 16 patients' perceptions of hepatitis-related service quality in a tertiary hospital in Ghana. We adopted the service quality model by Brady and Cronin to guide the study. Participants were recruited purposively, and data analysis followed the procedure of Braun and Clarke. We found distinct patient concerns encompassing various aspects of care, including privacy, waiting times, clinic accessibility, and staff attitudes and expertise. Nurse-front desk interactions and education provided on hepatitis treatment emerged as areas requiring improvement. The physical environment, including cleanliness and ambient conditions, influenced patient satisfaction; however, systemic challenges such as long waiting time and insufficient clinic operational days were identified as major sources of discontent. There is the need for a patient-centered approach in healthcare delivery, integrated services, enhanced privacy measures, and a comfortable and welcoming healthcare environment.