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EFFECTS OF HOSPITAL ACCESSIBILITY ON CONSUMER PREFERENCE IN PRIVATE HOSPITALS IN NAKURU COUNTY, KENYA


Lydia C. Langat ,Vivian Cherono
LECTURER, Kenya Methodist University
Abstract
Private healthcare system in Kenya have grown tremendously over the last two decades due to various reasons, among them lack of adequate and quality public healthcare services and introduction of user fees. This study therefore aimed at empirically examining the determinants that have influenced consumers’ choice for private health service providers in Nakuru County. In achieving this broad objective, the study sought to examine the effects of hospital accessibility on consumer preference for health services provided by private hospitals in Nakuru County. Descriptive survey design was adopted in the study. Structured questionnaires were be used to gather primary data from in-patients with minor ailments in these hospitals through the assistance of the staff, as well as the hospital administrators. Study sample size was 136 in- patients and 9 hospital administrators, where the sampling technique was employed on determining individual respondents was convenient sampling method after choosing the hospitals purposively. Descriptive statistics (mean, standard deviation and frequencies) and inferential statistics particularly Pearson correlation and regression were used to test the relationship between variables under study whereas research hypotheses was tested at 0.05 significant levels. It was established that there was a positive relationship between hospital accessibility and consumer preference (r = 0.367, p < 0.05) which is statistically significant. That patients’ preference is determined by a complex interplay between a variety of patients and the provider characteristics. Patients often attach greater importance to their previous healthcare experiences or to doctors’ recommendations than to comparative information presented. The study recommended that the hospital management should consider mobilizing resources for scaling up supportive infrastructure that promote accessibility to quality services. The management should also consider organizing update trainings through workshops on the essence of timeliness in service provision. Additionally, patients base their decisions on choice of private hospital not only on outcome indicators but on a variety of provider characteristics. Findings from this study should not be underestimated. It will provide important source of knowledge for managers within the healthcare institutions, as well as the service industry in general. Health Care provider must focus towards the understanding the factors that influence the choice of health services.
Keywords: Hospital accessibility; physical location, timeliness, promotion, information, consumer preference
Journal Name :
EPRA International Journal of Multidisciplinary Research (IJMR)

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Published on : 2022-01-19

Vol : 8
Issue : 1
Month : January
Year : 2022
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