Trends and correlates of patient satisfaction with services under the National Health Insurance Scheme of Nigeria: A review

Background: In spite of over a decade of operations, the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) of Nigeria has continuously been criticized for its quality of services. Healthcare consumer satisfaction surveys (an important measure of service quality worldwide) in this domain have presented differing accounts of satisfaction with the services of the NHIS from their vantage perspectives. This narrative review aimed at studying the preliminary trends in the utilization of and patient satisfaction with the NHIS services. The correlates of patient satisfaction were also studied. Materials and Methods: We searched local literature whose full texts were accessible using predominantly Google Scholar. Results: We found progressive improvement in scheme enrolment, service utilization, and above-average overall satisfaction scores (i.e., >50% of respondents were satisfied) from most studies. Overall satisfaction scores/ratings were associated patients' level of education, knowledge of the scheme, years of enrolment, facility cleanliness, consultation time, pharmaceutical services, ease in accessing medical records and laboratory results, health worker availability, health worker friendliness, and responsiveness to patients' requests. Conclusion: The observed trajectory in service utilization, satisfaction scores, and their correlates may be useful for strategic planning to improve NHIS services in the country toward universal health coverage

Assessment of level of satisfaction of national health insurance scheme enrolees with services of an accredited health facility in Northern Nigerian

Introduction: Consumer satisfaction is one of the driving goals of goods and service production. Patient satisfaction surveys, as a means of periodic evaluation of the quality of services offered by the National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS) accredited facilities, is necessary to ensure that the goals of the scheme are achieved and sustained. Materials and Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of 202 respondents randomly selected from NHIS enrolees attending the Staff Clinic of Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital. It assessed respondents' perceived waiting time, level of satisfaction at the clinic's service units, and overall clinic satisfaction using a modified general practice assessment questionnaire. Results: The mean age of respondents was 36.4 ± 8.1 with a near equal sex ratio. They were predominantly civil servants (79.2%) with tertiary education (75.7%). Most respondents (70.3%) felt waiting time was too long; with 79.7% of those, feeling they spend at least 30 min after arrival at the registration unit to see their doctor. A majority of respondents: 90.1%, 86.8%, 79%, 76.8%, 75.9%, 77.5%, and 80.6% were satisfied with the consultation time, doctors' consultation, medical records, pharmacy, laboratory, accounts, and nursing services, respectively. However, 65.8% were satisfied with the overall clinic services. The perceived sufficiency of the consultation time was associated with overall satisfaction (χ2 = 6.199, P = 0.013). Conclusion: Although 65.8% of respondents were satisfied with the clinic services, the perceived clinic waiting time was dissatisfactory; therefore, further studies on the determinants of overall satisfaction may be required if improvement in the proportion of satisfied service consumers is desired by the clinic managers

Common Indications for Major Cardiothoracic Surgeries in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital; Kano; Nigeria: A 2-Year Review

Background : Although cardiothoracic surgery has made significant progress in Nigeria; more has to be done in the field of open heart surgery to mitigate the currently experienced need for surgery abroad. This communication highlights the common indications for major cardiothoracic surgeries performed over a 2-year period from November 2011 to October 2013 in Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital; Kano. Highlighted are common cardiothoracic problems often encountered in this region and their outcome. This will therefore form the basis for comparison with what is obtainable in other cardiothoracic centers in the country.Objectives: To determine the common indications for major cardiothoracic surgeries and their outcome over a 2-year period in the Aminu Kano Teaching Hospital; Kano.Methodology: Data were retrieved from the operation theater register of our institution and relevant information such as age; sex; indication for surgery; surgical procedure performed and outcome were extracted.Results : A total of 89 major surgeries were performed during the study period. The subjects comprised of 66 males and 23 females; with a male to female ratio of 3:1. Trauma-related chest injuries constituted the major indication (21.4); with nine cases being arrow-related chest injury; which was the most common. A single case of pericardectomy was performed. All surgeries were carried out successfully and patients were discharged except for one mortality recorded following intervention of a case of arrow-related chest injury (5.3).Conclusion : Trauma-related events were the most common indication for major cardiothoracic surgery in our series. Arrow-related injuries were the most common; and these were seen mostly in males