Factors influencing the price of medical services : a survey of the pricing behaviour of private medical providers in Kampala, Uganda

Understanding the pricing behaviour of medical providers in private clinics is important for the effective regulation of the private sector and ensuring that there is no extortion of patients. There is a global trend to encourage delivery of health services by the private sector reducing the public role to stewardship. Understanding the factors that influence the price of medical services in an out of pocket setting is important in designing strategies necessary to control the price of medical care. The study investigated the factors that influenced the price of medical services in Kampala district, Uganda. The respondents reported cost of drugs given to patients (type and dose of drug), other overhead expenditures, type of disease, income status of the patient and need to make profit as factors which influence the price of medical services. On regression analysis, it was found that rent was a significant factor on the price of medical services across all disease conditions. It was concluded that governments need to put in place effective regulatory mechanisms to ensure proper functioning of the private health sector.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Public Health and Family Medicine

Year dc:date.issued

2004

Author dc:creator

• James, Batuka

Advisors dc:contributor.advisor

• Okorafor, Okore
• Thiede, Michael

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/8629

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/8629