Comfort Factors In Private Healthcare Facilities In Cross River State Nigeria: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study

Abstract

: The study evaluates the meaning of comfort and explores factors that enhance it from the perspective of patients who received treatment at private healthcare facilities in Cross River State, Nigeria. The evaluation is focused on patients, patients' family members, and providers. The Delphi method was used with 15 participants: three providers, four family members, and seven patients. Data was collected within one week with two focus group meetings at a private medical facility. Content and descriptive analysis were used for the analysis of qualitative data. The instrument used for the two sessions of the focus group meetings was open questions, which were based on items to be evaluated by the participants. after the sessions, items in which consensus was obtained were again presented to participants so that participants could have enough time to re-evaluate what they said and their understanding. This promoted feedback. Content and thematic analysis produced seven categories: Meaning of comfort, Presence of family members, Communication on disease management Affordable cost of care, Staff behaviour towards patients, Privacy and confidentiality and Reduced treatment time in hospital The patients’ treatment journey in private healthcare facilities in Cross River State can be enhanced if the management of healthcare facilities improves on not only environmental factors in the hospitals but also psychosocial components of care such as appropriate communication, provision of information to patients, privacy, reduce noise, caring staff physical behaviours towards patients, affordable cost of care and inclusion of family members in the care equation.