A holistic service quality framework for the delivery of patient-centred primary healthcare

Abstract

Internationally, governments have recognised the constraints facing their citizens with regards to access to affordable, quality healthcare services. This development is evident in South Africa where the majority of the population have limited access to affordable, quality healthcare due to the healthcare inequality between the insured and uninsured. To address this lack of access to quality healthcare, medical experts recommend a focus on patient-centred primary healthcare as opposed to the current system of provider-centred healthcare. This research aims, through the development of a patient-centred framework, to assist in advising healthcare systems for the delivery for patientcentred primary healthcare. In order to develop a holistic view, all stakeholders involved in the delivery of healthcare were considered in answering the main research question. The study comprised of 43 interviews in total, of which 28 interviews were with uninsured patients who use healthcare facilities in South Africa and 15 medical expert interviews. This information was then consolidated into a framework, and further refined through the literature collected, to form a holistic service quality framework that allows for the delivery of patient-centred primary healthcare. The holistic service quality framework acts as a mechanism to ensure that the delivery of patient-centred primary healthcare has a positive impact on patient satisfaction. Patient satisfaction can be improved or increased through the levers, available to the providers, identified in the framework. This allows healthcare systems to improve the service quality of the healthcare delivered