MBA-HCM Theses and Dissertations (2019)

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Browsing MBA-HCM Theses and Dissertations (2019) by Author "Mbugua, Margaret"

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    Challenges facing the implementation of managed healthcare in private hospitals in Kenya: a case of Avenue healthcare
    (Strathmore University, 2019) Mbugua, Margaret
    MHC has confirmed the capability of eliminating surplus medical expenditures and improving the effectiveness as well as the quality of medical care delivery specifically in the USA. However, despite the existence of MHC for a number of years, the concept is yet to fully take root in developing countries in Asia and Africa, where out of pocket payments make the greatest percentage of healthcare financing. In Kenya, health insurance represents less than 20% of the total insurance premiums and statistics indicate less than 10% of all healthcare finances are subjected to risk pooling through health insurance. This study examined the challenges encountered in the implementation of MHC in private hospitals in Kenya. The study was carried out at Avenue Healthcare in Nairobi County and involved the medical workers at the facility. The study was anchored on the Kutzin descriptive framework and the traditional indemnity model, and employed a cross-sectional descriptive design. The population was made of the 9 Avenue Healthcare Centres in Nairobi County and the unit of analysis was the 104 medical workers in these centres. This research used primary data, collected using a self-administered questionnaire developed based on the constructs of the literature review. The collected data were then analysed using descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings established that health workers' attitude affects implementation of MHC in private hospitals within Kenya and that there must be profound commitment and support by health workers for smooth implementation of MHC. The study also found that there is poor health workers' knowledge of the concept. The results show that the major costs drivers for MHC (MHC) programs are: administrative; operational, set-up, marketing and training. The regression results revealed a positive and statistically significant relationship between health workers' knowledge and attitude, costs of and implementation of MHC. The study concluded that implementation of MHC in private hospitals in Kenya is significantly influenced by health workers' knowledge and attitude and costs. The study recommends that the management of private hospitals in Kenya should involve medical workers in planning and implementation of MHC programs, develop training and development programs and ensure training is carried out frequently on MHC programs prior to implementing the programs.