Choice of Healthcare Providers among Insured Persons in Ghana

Abstract

Since the introduction of the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana in 2003, there has been little evidence with regards the type of providers from whom these insured persons seek healthcare. This study examines the choice of healthcare providers under the National Health Insurance Scheme in Ghana, using nine hundred and eighty eight (988) insured persons. Stratified random sampling technique was employed in selecting respondents, while the multinomial logistic regression was employed. Factors such as cash amount paid, waiting time and proximity to facility were found to discourage the use of orthodox healthcare among insured persons. The study recommend that social and economic infrastructure such as roads, telecommunication, and health centres should be expanded and / or improved in some cases to make orthodox healthcare providers more accessible and affordable, at the same time, it reduce the demand for unorthodox healthcare among the insured persons.

Keywords: Multinomial Logit, Insured Persons, NHIS, Ghana