TITLE:
Patients’ Preferences of Healthcare Facilities for Quality Healthcare Services in Akwa Ibom State: A Game Theory Approach
AUTHORS:
Vincenth Udok Udeme, Ukamaka Cynthia Orumie
KEYWORDS:
Health Care Facilities, Cross-Sectional Descriptive Study, Purposive Sampling Technique, Questionnaires, Rules of Dominance
JOURNAL NAME:
American Journal of Operations Research,
Vol.11 No.3,
May
31,
2021
ABSTRACT: The purpose of this work is to apply Game theory approach to determine patients’
preferences of healthcare facilities for quality healthcare in Akwa Ibom State. Cross-sectional descriptive study and
purposive sampling technique were adopted in order to collect the relevant
data. Factors influencing patients’ preferences of health care facilities
between public and private hospitals in Akwa Ibom State were assessed using a
set of questionnaires which were distributed to 9976 patients in University of Uyo
Teaching Hospital, Uyo, Akwa Ibom State. A two-person zero sum game
theory approach was applied. Perception of quality healthcare services received
by respondent’s preferred facilities between public and private hospitals was examined. Also the reasons for patients’
persistence of their preferred facilities were evaluated using questionnaire.
The optimal strategy and the value of the game were determined using the
factors influencing patients’ preferences of healthcare facilities, and analysed
with two-person-zero-sum game. Facility that gives their clients the best satisfaction was identified. The data collected through questionnaire
were analysed using the rules of dominance in a two-person-zero-sum game and TORA statistical
software was employed. The result shows that the value of the game, v = 330
which implies that the game is favourable to public hospital. The result also
showed that patients preferred public hospitals due to costs of services with
probability one (1), while private hospitals attributed their preferences to
attitude of healthcare providers with probability one (1).