title: 'Some patients are more equal than others': Patient-centred care differential in two-tier inpatient ward hospitals in Ghana.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To examine differences in patient-centred care among private and public inpatients in public hospitals and whether satisfaction with patient-centred care differ between the patient groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional data collected from inpatients in private wards (n=300) and public wards (n=520) in Ghana, using a structured questionnaire modelled on four dimensions of patient-centred care: respect and dignity, emotional support, interpersonal relations and information sharing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Patient-centred care differed significantly among private and public patients (p<0.001), with an effect size ranging from medium to large. Private patients rated patient-centred care higher than public patients in all the items of the four dimensions. Satisfaction with patient-centred care discriminated between the patient groups. Satisfaction was significantly high for private patients who are aged 50+ (p<0.001), had high education (p<0.05) and high income (p<0.001) compared to the same category of public patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Physicians behaviour is stereotyping and less favourable to public patients, suggesting inequitable access to patient-centred care for inpatients from high and low socioeconomic backgrounds.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Hospitals with private and public wards should be compelled to properly coordinate and regulate the activities of physicians to avoid fragmented care for inpatients.
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management, University of Ghana Business School, Legon, Accra, Ghana. Electronic address: ayimbillah@yahoo.com.
authors.forename: Roger A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Atinga
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Administration and Health Services Management, University of Ghana Business School, Legon, Accra, Ghana.
authors.forename: Justice N
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Bawole
authors.affiliation: Ghana Health Services, Ashanti Region, Kumasi, Ghana.
authors.forename: Alexis
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Nang-Beifubah
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005869:Ghana; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006779:Hospitals, Public; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients / Q000523:psychology*; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D018802:Patient-Centered Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011787:Quality of Health Care; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Inpatient; Patient satisfaction; Patient-centred care; Private ward; Public ward