OPINION AND ATTITUDE OF PATIENTS TOWARDS THE SERVICES OF PRIVATE HOSPITALS IN THENI -ALLINAGARAM TOWN

Dissertation Submitted to the Madurai Kamaraj University in Partial Fulfillment of the requirements for the award of the degree of MASTER OF PHILOSOPHY IN COMMERCE RESEARCHER

M. SRIVIDHYA (Reg. No. A9820154) SUPERVISOR Dr. A. ABBAS MANTHIRI M.Com., M.Phil., Ph.D.,

POST GRADUATE AND RESEARCH DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE HAJEE KARUTHA ROWTHER HOWDIA COLLEGE (Accredited with A Grade by NAAC) UTHAMAPALAYAM - 625 533 THENI DISTRICT JANUARY 2011

INTRODUCTION
The post liberalization period has brought significant changes in the Indian economy. It has attracted private participation on a large scale in almost all the sectors of the economy including education, primary health care, sanitation etc. The post reform period has witnessed severe resource crunch in these sectors and consequently more and more private sectors have participated in all the sectors particularly education and health. Health care facilities have increased substantially between the early 1950s and early 1980s, but because of fast population growth, the number of licensed medical practitioners per 10,000 individuals had fallen by the late 1980s to three per 10,000 from the 1981 level of four per 10,000. In 1991 there were approximately ten hospital beds per 10,000 individuals.

Recent studies revealed that the share of private sector is 83 percent of the total expenditure on health in the country and the households alone bear three-fourth of the total expenditure and the rest is by NGOs and corporate sector which is less than 2 percent of the total expenditure. The house hold expenditure showed that around 66 percent of the total health expenditure by house hold is made for the purchase of drugs and medicines. Since private sector does not spend much on the preventive care, higher incidence of communicable diseases is found in the backward region and among backward population. Number of research studies were undertaken to assess the performance of some of the major private hospitals located in major cities. There are studies focused over the role of private players in health care also undertaken with broader objectives. They revealed that many more corporate hospitals are coming up in India. It is also revealed that many private hospitals do not adhere to the government rules and package rules but charged according to market rates.

For a caesarean delivery the expenses incurred were between Rs.10, 000 to Rs.15, 000 in Chennai city4. It is the general complaint that patients underwent treatment in private hospitals felt that they were overcharged. There by people have began to suspect the medical ethics of the private practitioners especially private hospitals as more and more evidence of malpractices are coming to light. This has made the more responsive hospitals necessary for the betterment of the society.

STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM

Health service is the science and practice of protecting and improving the health of a community. The concept and practice of health care in India can be traced back to the Vedic age. Health practices in India like all other countries of the world have been integrated with entire medical care system. Public spending on health care is owned 22 percent and all other services accounted for less than 5 percent. The private households undertake nearly three-firth of all the health spending in the country. The majority of this spending is mostly done through private health services is private hospitals. It is no denying fact that private hospitals with their state of the art facilities perform the public health care system in their services.

The present study is under taken to analyze the opinion of patients towards the services of private hospitals located in the study area. Based on the preliminary experience gained, the researcher decided to probe the following.
1. What are the Socio-economic profiles of sample respondents? 2. What is their opinion towards the services of these hospitals? 3. What are the factors influencing their satisfaction level? 4. What problems are they facing?

with this backdrop, the present study is undertaken.

COLLECTION OF DATA
The study is based on both primary and secondary data. The primary data were collected from sample respondents through well structured schedule. The secondary data were collected from books, journals, reports and information downloaded through websites.

SAMPLING
There are 27 reputed private hospitals of medium and large size are found in the study area. It is estimated that an average 2000 patients were visiting these hospitals everyday. Considering the constraints of time and other resources of the researcher, 200 sample respondents were taken for the study following convenient mentioned of sampling which worked out to 10 Percent of the population.

TOOLS FOR ANALYSIS

The major statistical tools used for the study are:

CHI-SQUARE TEST
It is used to test the association between the socioeconomic factors of sample respondents and their level of satisfaction. GARRETTS RANKING TECHNIQUE It is used to rank the reasons for the dissatisfaction of sample respondents in the study area.

HYPOTHESES OF THE STUDY

The following are the hypotheses framed for the study.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6.

Age of the respondents does not influence their level satisfaction. Educational status of respondents does not influence their level satisfaction. Type of income of respondents does not influence their level satisfaction. Source of income of respondents does not influence their level satisfaction. Size of the family of respondents does not influence their level satisfaction. Type of family of respondents does not influence their level satisfaction.

of of of of of of

CHAPTER SCHEME
The present study titled Opinion and Attitude of patients towards the services of private hospitals in Theni-Allinagaram Town is divided into Five Chapters. First Chapter Introduction and Design of the Study Second Chapter Hospital Marketing Third Chapter Profile of Study area and Sample Respondents Fourth Chapter Opinion and Attitude of Sample Respondents Fifth Chapter Summary of findings and suggestion

FINDINGS
The following are the major findings of the study.

It is clear that 62.5 Percent of sample respondents are male. It is clear that 42 Percent of sample respondents belong to the source of income category of between Rs.25, 001/- and Rs.50, 000/-. It is found that 69.5 Percent of sample respondents visited hospital of general category. It is evident that 76.5 Percent of sample respondents are outpatients. It is evident that 66 Percent of sample respondents are moderately satisfied on the treatment given. It is found that 51 Percent of sample respondents felt that the fees charged are exorbitant.

 It is found that 51 Percent of sample respondents felt that the fees charged are

exorbitant. It is found that 73.5 Percent of sample respondent felt that emergency cases are immediately attended. It is found that 56 Percent of sample respondents spent between Rs.250/- and Rs.500/- per visit. It is known from Chi-Square analysis that the association between the age of the respondents and their satisfaction in statistically significant. It is known from Chi-Square analysis that the association between the gender, educational background, family background, income of the respondents, religion of the respondents and family size of the respondents and their level of satisfaction is statistically not significant. It is found that the reasons such as Inordinate delay in diagnosis, Prolonged visits, and Unnecessary medical tests inordinate delay in attending patients, are causing dissatisfaction to the patients while taking treatment in the hospitals of general nature. It is found that the reasons such as Lack of permanent specialty Doctors, Lack of facilities and Referring to hospitals located in metropolitan cities, are causing dissatisfaction to the patients while taking treatment in the hospitals of speciality nature.

SUGGESTIONS
The following are the major suggestions offered by the researcher based on the findings of her study.
It is suggested that the fee structure for treatments may be displayed in the notice board of
all hospitals, so that the patients could aware of the possible fee and compare with the other hospitals to arrive at decisions of treatment.

As

there is generally scarcity of speciality doctors in all hospitals, it is suggested that adequate steps may be taken to have made the speciality doctors available regularly by inviting them from Madurai city.

It is suggested that for cesarean and normal deliveries, packages including of all charges
may be offered by hospitals.

 It is suggested that lab, X-rays, scan, medical store facilities may be made available within
the hospital campus.

It is suggested that Private Hospitals Regulation Act, may further be strengthened so as to

make the hospital managements more responsive and courteous.

It is suggested that the medical council of India shall take extra care to ensure the doctors
following the professional ethics to the core.

It is suggested that the medical council of India shall take extra care to ensure the doctors
following the professional ethics to the core.

CONCLUSION
The present study has revealed that the people who are taking treatment in private hospitals are not fully satisfied over their services. A considerable number of people even view that the treatments offered are genuine and right. However, it is not possible to comment on the treatment of the doctors, as it can only be done by competent fellow physicians. Let us all hope that whatever is done by a doctor, is being done in the overall in test of the patients. It is high time that a sound and rational private medical health care policy being framed by the Government of India. The researcher earnestly believes that the suggestions given in the study may be implemented in letter and sprit by the managements of the hospitals in the study area, as they involve in the noble task of protecting and improving the lives of the people.

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