The Ghana Health Service (GHS) has intensified efforts to improve patient experience and rebuild public confidence in healthcare facilities in the Upper East Region through the strengthening of client relations systems.
The Regional Director of the GHS, Dr Braimah Baba Abubakari, said improving communication between health workers and patients was essential to reducing complaints and ensuring quality healthcare delivery.
He made the remarks during a virtual training programme organised for selected Client Relations Officers (CROs) from health facilities across the region as part of measures to enhance patient-centred care.
Dr Abubakari explained that the increasing number of complaints from clients was partly linked to communication gaps, delays in service delivery, limited understanding of healthcare procedures and challenges arising from staff shortages.
He noted that with public opinions about healthcare services increasingly shaped by social media discussions, health institutions could no longer overlook the importance of how patients are treated and engaged.
“The way clients perceive healthcare delivery is influenced not only by the services provided but also by the manner in which they are communicated with and treated,” he said.
The Regional Director urged health professionals to exhibit professionalism, patience, empathy and courtesy in their interactions with patients, stressing that good client relations were critical to building trust in the health system.
He said the introduction of CROs across healthcare facilities was aimed at creating a direct channel through which patients could share concerns, receive assistance and improve their overall experience.
According to him, the officers were expected to bridge the gap between healthcare providers and the public by facilitating communication, addressing grievances and promoting a positive image of the GHS.
Dr Abubakari expressed confidence that the training would equip the officers with the skills needed to effectively manage client concerns and contribute to improved healthcare outcomes in the region.
The Kassena-Nankana Municipal Director of the GHS, Dr Edmund Nellic Nyanwura, welcomed the initiative, describing the training as timely and necessary.
He stressed that better communication between health workers and patients would significantly improve service delivery and enhance patient satisfaction.
Dr Nyanwura called on healthcare workers to improve their attitudes towards clients, noting that respectful engagement remained an important component of quality healthcare.
Meanwhile, participants were introduced to a digital Client Care Portal developed by Mr Richard Addah, a Neonatal Care Nurse at the Upper East Regional Hospital.
Mr Addah explained that the platform, which is already being used at the Regional Hospital, allows patients and their relatives to provide feedback and interact with healthcare facilities through QR codes linked to the portal.
The Acting Regional Public Relations Officer of the GHS, Mr Godfred Polkuu, who facilitated the training, identified poor communication, inadequate explanations of medical procedures, long waiting times and delays in registration and consultation as major sources of client dissatisfaction.
He reminded the CROs that people-centred care remained a core value of the GHS and urged them to uphold the Service’s standards as they work to improve relationships between health facilities and the communities they serve.
