TIMELINESS OF HEALTHCARE SERVICE DELIVERY AND CLIENT SATISFACTION IN NHIS-ACCREDITED HOSPITALS IN MAKURDI, BENUE STATE
Keywords:
Timeliness of healthcare delivery, Client satisfaction, NHIS, Waiting time, Healthcare service quality, MakurdiAbstract
This study examined the relationship between timeliness of healthcare service delivery and client satisfaction in NHIS-accredited hospitals in Makurdi Local Government Area, Benue State. A descriptive survey research design was adopted. The population of the study consisted of 2,784 NHIS stakeholders drawn from six selected NHIS-accredited hospitals, from which a sample size of 350 respondents was determined using Taro Yamane’s formula. A total of 342 valid questionnaires were retrieved and analysed, representing a 97.7% response rate. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire and analysed using descriptive statistics (frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (simple linear regression) with the aid of SPSS version 25. The study was anchored on the Expectancy Disconfirmation Theory (Oliver, 1977), which explains that client satisfaction is determined by the comparison between expected service performance and actual healthcare experiences. Findings revealed that prolonged waiting time before consultation, registration and card processing delays, laboratory and diagnostic service delays, and pharmacy and drug dispensing delays significantly reduced client satisfaction among NHIS enrollees. Regression results showed that waiting time before consultation explained 46.5% of the variation in client satisfaction (R² = .465, β = -.512, p < .05), registration and card processing explained 49.6% (R² = .496, β = -.536, p < .05), laboratory and diagnostic service delays explained 45.0% (R² = .450, β = -.489, p < .05), while pharmacy and drug dispensing delays explained 51.7% (R² = .517, β = -.558, p < .05). The study concludes that delays across major healthcare service points remain significant barriers to achieving satisfactory NHIS service experiences in Makurdi. It recommends that hospital management and NHIA authorities should strengthen digital patient processing systems, improve workflow management, and enhance staffing and operational efficiency in consultation, laboratory, and pharmacy units to reduce waiting time and improve client satisfaction.
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