Volume 74, Issue 2, September 2024, Pages 179–192
Wesley Kapaya Mwambazi1 and Mubanga Mpundu2
1 Graduate School of Business, University of , Lusaka, Zamb, Zambia
2 Department of Economics, University of Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
Original language: English
Copyright © 2024 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Background: Despite the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 2019 to improve healthcare financing and services, the healthcare system in Zambia still faces challenges that negatively affect patient satisfaction. Aim: Assess and investigate the factors influencing patient satisfaction with NHIS-provided services at a third-level tertiary public hospital. Setting: The study was conducted at the OPD of Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital (LMUTH) in Lusaka, Zambia. LMUTH was purposefully chosen because it was one of the first NHIS-accredited facilities and because of its importance as the second-largest publicly financed tertiary referral hospital. Method: This was a mixed method cross-sectional survey and data were collected from a systematically chosen sample of 270 respondents using an interviewer-administered modified SERVUAL 5-point Likert scale questionnaire in May 2024. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analysis. Results: 83 percent were satisfied with the NHIS-provided services. Education level, duration of NHIS enrollment, communication from NHIMA, drug availability, staff attitude, and waiting time were identified as significant factors. However, key predictors identified were employment status (OR = 0.237, p = 0.030), and communication and feedback from NHIMA (OR = 2.922, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Findings show a high NHIS satisfaction level identifying significant factors and key predictors. Future research should explore the long-term effects and satisfaction levels across various demographic groups and regions. Contribution: This study suggests improved NHIS communication, staff training, patient education, reduced waiting times, fostering courteous patient/staff interactions and enhancing diagnostic and pharmacy services.
Author Keywords: 5-point Likert scale, bivariant analysis, logistic regression.
Wesley Kapaya Mwambazi1 and Mubanga Mpundu2
1 Graduate School of Business, University of , Lusaka, Zamb, Zambia
2 Department of Economics, University of Western Cape, Cape Town, South Africa
Original language: English
Copyright © 2024 ISSR Journals. This is an open access article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution License, which permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background: Despite the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) in 2019 to improve healthcare financing and services, the healthcare system in Zambia still faces challenges that negatively affect patient satisfaction. Aim: Assess and investigate the factors influencing patient satisfaction with NHIS-provided services at a third-level tertiary public hospital. Setting: The study was conducted at the OPD of Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital (LMUTH) in Lusaka, Zambia. LMUTH was purposefully chosen because it was one of the first NHIS-accredited facilities and because of its importance as the second-largest publicly financed tertiary referral hospital. Method: This was a mixed method cross-sectional survey and data were collected from a systematically chosen sample of 270 respondents using an interviewer-administered modified SERVUAL 5-point Likert scale questionnaire in May 2024. The data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential analysis. Results: 83 percent were satisfied with the NHIS-provided services. Education level, duration of NHIS enrollment, communication from NHIMA, drug availability, staff attitude, and waiting time were identified as significant factors. However, key predictors identified were employment status (OR = 0.237, p = 0.030), and communication and feedback from NHIMA (OR = 2.922, p = 0.001). Conclusion: Findings show a high NHIS satisfaction level identifying significant factors and key predictors. Future research should explore the long-term effects and satisfaction levels across various demographic groups and regions. Contribution: This study suggests improved NHIS communication, staff training, patient education, reduced waiting times, fostering courteous patient/staff interactions and enhancing diagnostic and pharmacy services.
Author Keywords: 5-point Likert scale, bivariant analysis, logistic regression.
How to Cite this Article
Wesley Kapaya Mwambazi and Mubanga Mpundu, “Assessing patient satisfaction with the services provided under the National Health Insurance at the Outpatient Department of the Levy Mwanawasa University Teaching Hospital in Lusaka, Zambia,” International Journal of Innovation and Scientific Research, vol. 74, no. 2, pp. 179–192, September 2024.
