AN APPLICATION OF EFFECTIVE IMAGE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMME IN NIGERIAN HOSPITALS: A CASE STUDY OF (ABUTH) AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL
AN APPLICATION OF EFFECTIVE IMAGE ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMME IN NIGERIAN HOSPITALS: A CASE STUDY OF (ABUTH) AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL
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Date
1994-04
Authors
USMAN, FATIMAH BINTA
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Abstract
The impression, personality or mental picture evoked by an
institution is its image. Image assessment gives an insight into
hospital patronage. A good image leads to high patronage while a
bad image leads to low patronage. Patronage depends on evaluative
criteria and perception of how actual characteristics of the
hospital compare with customer standards (i.e patients, visitors
etc). Therefore, an institution must erase any bad impression. A
programme to do this is called an image enhancement programme.
In this project, five evaluative criteria were assessed.
Hospital location, hospital design, hospital services some aspects
of product assortment and hospital personnel were evaluated using
questionnaires, at the 3 ABUTH units at Kaduna, Zaria and
Malumfashi. Kaduna and Zaria ABUTH represented urban centres while
Malumfashi unit represented a rural setting.
The major problem encountered in the survey was the industrial
dispute declared by the non-academic staff union of Teaching
Hospitals, NASU. The NASU strike caused disruption of hospital
activities. Patients had to be discharged and new admissions were
curtailed. Therefore, few responses were obtained from this segment
of the hospital public.
This project was informed by the World-Bank assisted Essential
Drugs Project, EDP. The EDP resulted in the setting up of Drug
Revolving Funds, DRFs. The DRF was set up to guarantee the
continued provision of drugs and materials by collecting sufficient
funds through user-charges for drugs and other materials
(laboratory reagents, x-ray materials, surgical materials etc)
consumed, to cover full replacement costs of new materials. The DRF
is an answer to the acute shortages of drugs and materials needed
for preventing and curing the diseases most commonly suffered by
Nigerians. Besides compromising most treatments, the frequent lack
of drugs in many government hospitals has other adverse effects
including a major decline in utilisation of hospitals resulting in
self-medication, demoralisation of health personnel and loss of
public confidence in important preventive programmes like maternal
and child health.
Also alternative private sector providers of these vital
services are limited at best and generally unaffordable to the poor
and limited to urban areas.
An effective image enhancement programme in public hospitals
will reverse these negative trends and ensure patient satisfaction
and willingness to patronise public hospitals instead of private
clinics. Also, management would realise increased profits. The
society would benefit from decreased unemployment, retrenchment and
staff turnover. Our hospitals will no longer be called "mere
consulting clinics".
The location of ABUTH Zaria was found to be most accessible
while Malumfashi unit is farthest from the town. But transportation
was found to be easily available to all three units, implying a
good location. The hospital design was found to be poor in the
areas of equipment and furniture which are old and uncomfortable
respectively. Although in Malumfashi, a rural unit, these were
found to be satisfactory by patients and visitors but not to
hospital staff. The services especially public conveniences were
found to be good and clean. But canteen and common room facilities
were not available for patients and visitors but were available for
staff. Personnel were found to be neat and clean. Senior staff were
found to be more polite, helpful and courteous than junior staff.
Therefore, the management of ABUTH should improve on their
design, (redecorate & renovate), services and personnel (i.e instal
modern equipment and retrain personnel on the DRF).
Description
A PROJECT PRESENTED TO FACULTY OF ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF
BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION, IN PARTIAL FULFILLMENT OF THE REQUIREMENTS
FOR THE AWARD OF THE DEGREE OF MASTER OF BUSINESS ADMINISTRATION
MBA, OF AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY, ZARIA.
Keywords
APPLICATION,, EFFECTIVE,, IMAGE,, ENHANCEMENT,, PROGRAMME,, NIGERIAN,, HOSPITALS,, CASE STUDY,, (ABUTH),, AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL