Patient perceptions of the quality of health services in South Africa quality management conference (in association with COHSASA)

Patient perceptions of quality drives acceptability of health services (Penchansky and Thomas, 1981). ▪ Services not acceptable less likely to return for follow-up, less likely to seek healthcare, more likely to access private sector. ▪ Bypassing of closest clinics (Burger & Christian, 2018; Rao & Sheffel, 2018). ▪ Patients with low-quality perceptions of public healthcare services prefer to utilise private healthcare facilities (Burger et al., 2010; Van der Berg et al., 2010). ▪ Understanding quality of health services – from a user’s perspective – is essential for health outcome improvements