Strategic Quality Management Initiatives And Service Delivery In The National Hospital Insurance Fund In Wajir County, Kenya

ABSTRACT

National Hospital insurance fund has faced so many challenges regarding to service delivery. Majority of the national hospital insurance fund accredited facilities in Wajir County have failed to satisfy the customers or members. The problem has escalated to Mashaalah nursing home and even to Jeddah nursing home which are situated in Wajir County. Therefore the aim of this study was to investigate the effect of strategic quality management initiatives and service delivery in National Hospital insurance fund in Wajir County Kenya. The specific objectives of the study was to establish the effect of top management commitment, customers orientation, stakeholders involvement, and employee empowerment on service delivery in national hospital insurance fund Wajir County, Kenya. The study was guided by quality improvement theory contingency theory and system approach theory. Descriptive research design was used and data collected from five accredited national hospital insurance fund facilities located in Wajir County. The respondents of the study were 114 members. The study used the primary data which was collected through the use of questionnaire. Reliability was tested through the use of Cronbach Alpha through a test score of 0.7. Data was analysed with the help of SPSS and presented in tables and figures. The results indicated that the management does not embrace teamwork. NHIF does not encourage open communication especially to the members of NHIF. The management does not take feedback positively as advised by the members of NHIF in improving the areas recommended by the members. The study presented that stakeholders were involved to lower extent in resource mobilization in NHIF in Wajir County. Stakeholders helped in resource and service delivery oversight. Stakeholders were lowly involved in resource need identification at the initial stages in NHIF in Wajir County. The NHIF takes feedback from the customers to improve its system and services. It was clear that the NHIF sensitizes, informs and creates awareness among its clients in Wajir County. The findings on employee empowerment found that the NHIF builds on the capacity of the employees for it enables employees to participate in decision-making. The respondents moderately agreed that the organization encourages compliance and commitment both within and among the employers. The study concluded that relationship between top management commitment and the service delivery in NHIF was positive and significant. Stakeholder¶s involvement with service delivery in NHIF indicated that their relationship was significant and positive. The results on the relationship between customer orientation and service delivery in NHIF was positive and significant. The results on the relationship between employee empowerment and service delivery in NHIF was positive and significant. The study recommended that NHIF management in Wajir County should consider involving stakeholders in the decision making relating to health care in the five considered facilities in Wajir County. The County Governtment of Wajir should consider improving on the communication and information related. The study recommends that NHIF cardholders should be oriented on usage and benefit of NHIF card.