Performance Evaluation of Public Health Care Institutions in Zimbabwe: Comparing Patient Satisfaction in Harare and Bulawayo

Abstract

The aim of this research is to ascertain the differences in quality of care through the eye of the patient by measuring their satisfaction levels in Harare and Bulawayo. In order to investigate the objectives of this study and answer the research questions, the quantitative research method which focused only on the health system evaluation was used. The variables of interest were limited to the performance of the service system as result of continued none response to demographic information. These variables are, the General patient satisfaction (dependent variable), and Technical Quality, Interpersonal Manner, Communication, Financial Aspects, Time Spent with Doctor, and Accessibility (independent variables). This alone was not enough for a comprehensive study

therefore, a study of the resource inputs was done in order to explain the results of the patient satisfaction survey outputs in place of the eliminated demographic information. The results indicated some level of inequality in the general satisfaction with public healthcare as the survey showed that there were significant differences between Harare and Bulawayo. The differences were evident from the huge gap in resource inputs for each system and this was reflected in the output from patient satisfaction. The inputs considered for the study are: human resources, financial resources and consumables/ physical resources.