Service Compact (SERVICOM) and Service Delivery in the Nigerian Public Sector: A Study of Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki

Abstract

This study was carried out to examine the effect of SERVICOM on service delivery in public institutions in Nigeria with particular reference to Alex Ekwueme Federal University Teaching Hospital, Abakaliki. Specifically, the research among others sought to ascertain the extent to which SERVICOM has enhanced timely response to patients’ complaints in AE-FUTHA; to examine the extent to which SERVICOM has improved quality healthcare delivery in AE-FUTHA. The study was anchored on New Public Management Theory by Hood (1991). A descriptive survey design was adopted with a sample size of 380. Data for the study were obtained from the structured questionnaire, which were presented in frequency distribution tables for purpose of analysis. The findings of the study revealed among others - that there was significant positive relationship between SERVICOM and timely response to patients’ complaints in AE-FUTHA; that there was significant positive relationship between SERVICOM and improved quality healthcare delivery in AE-FUTHA. The implication of the findings is that SERVICOM is very strategic to entrenching efficient service delivery in the health facility. Therefore, the following recommendations among others were proffered: that SERVICOM unit in the health sector should be strengthened to always ensure reduction to delays in addressing the health and other related complaints of patients in the hospital; that there should be regular capacity building of the staff of the SERVICOM unit in the health institution to enable them sustain quality healthcare delivery in the hospital