Patient Satisfaction with Service Availability and Tangibility: A Comparison of Insured and Uninsured Patients at the National Hospital Abuja

Abstract

In healthcare delivery, where there is instability due to structural, material or staffing insufficiencies, reliability and tangibility may not be guaranteed and that can affect patient satisfaction. Medical insurance coverage is said to improve availability of healthcare services, improve satisfaction and health outcomes. The aim of the study was to assess the level of satisfaction of insured and uninsured patients with the availability of desired services and the acceptability of the physical environment of the hospital to them. This is a cross-sectional study among patients at least 18 years old. The participants were either insured by the NHIS or paying directly out of pocket, that attended 7 adult outpatient clinics of the National Hospital Abuja between April and September 2023. A total of 300 participants (140 insured and 160 uninsured) were recruited. The males were 125 and the females 175 and mean age of the patients was 44+/-15 years. The mean satisfaction of patients with availability of hospital services was 65.8% (Satisfied), whereas with tangibility was 71.2% (Very Satisfied). There was no significant difference between insured and uninsured patients. There is need to improve the availability of services just as the physical appearance of the hospital to meet the health needs of the clients in FCT and their utmost satisfaction.