The quality of national health insurance services in Ghana

Where a prepayment system exist as in health insurance, quality of service provided is very important in sustaining such as scheme. In 2003, a National Health Insurance Scheme was introduced in Ghana. Quality of service from the user perspective is important in ensuring subscription renewal and encouraging non-subscribers to enroll through word-of-mouth, a powerful marketing tool. One of the underlying principles of the National Scheme is ensuring that quality of health care provided to subscribers is not compromised. Thus the object of the study was to determine quality of service, from the user perspective, under the National Health Insurance scheme in Ghana. Two District Mutual Health Schemes were chosen for the study. Quality of service was considered from three dimensions: the level of communication with providers, the demeanor of staff and availability of insured drugs at the health care facility using questionnaire and an interview guide. The findings of the study provides valuable information to policymakers and questions one of the principles underlying the design of the scheme: quality of health care.

Autorentext

Ms Anita Asiwome Baku is a lecturer at the University Ghana Business School, University of Ghana. She holds MPhil from the University of Ghana, Legon.