Influence of Service Encounter on Patients’ Satisfaction in Government Owned Hospitals in Ibadan Oyo State, Nigeria
Keywords:
Perceived care, Service encounter, Patients’ satisfactionAbstract
This study is on service encounter and patients’ satisfaction in government-owned hospitals in Ibadan, Oyo State. Patient Satisfaction, Service Encounter and SERVQUAL Theories were adapted respectively to explain and provide insights into the major variables of this study. Healthcare satisfaction is a critical indicator of the quality of care provided by hospitals, which influences patient outcomes and the perception of healthcare systems. Understanding patient satisfaction with the structure, process and outcome of care in public hospitals is crucial for improving service delivery and enhancing the overall quality of healthcare. In spite of this, there is a scarcity of studies on service encountered in relation to healthcare satisfaction, particularly in Ibadan. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. Cluster and simple random sampling techniques were used to select a total number of 408 respondents, while a self-developed questionnaire was used as an instrument for data collection. The descriptive statistics of frequency counts, percentages and inferential statistics of multiple regression analysis were used for the analysis. The result revealed that the level of patients’ satisfaction in government-owned hospitals in Ibadan was very high (3.71), perception of care was very high (3.61), while the level of service encountered by patients was high (3.38). There was a significant influence of service encounter on patients’ satisfaction (Adj. R2=0.510, F(2,405)=212.993, p=0.000). The management of government-owned hospitals in Ibadan should focus on service encounter as a strong factor influencing patients’ satisfaction in government-owned hospitals in Ibadan, Oyo State.
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