Quality of Service (QoS) in Indian Healthcare and its Impact on the Consumer’s Choice of the Level of Care (LoC)

Abstract

This study analyzed consumers' choice of hospitals or Level of Care (LoC) as it is called by the National Sample Survey Office (NSSO). The Government of India has been conducting Health surveys and the 75th survey is the recent data on the usage of healthcare across India. The data comprises of all the states and Union Territories. The hospitalization data of the survey contains the consumer inputs on why they do not choose Government or Public Hospitals (GH). It also contains the prior and first subsequent hospitalization inputs. Using this, a Pareto analysis was conducted to know the reasons consumers state for not using GH. Also, the previous experience of the consumers and the subsequent choice have been arrived using a Decision Tree. This study has consolidated the reasons for the choice of LoC and this has subsequently helped to arrive at a tentative model that can be analyzed in further research. The objective of this study is to understand the challenges and consumer perceptions to assist in evolving healthcare in India. This is conducted at a time when India is transforming its healthcare mission amid a very intense combat of the COVID-19. The Prime Minister of India has also announced in the 74th Independence Day speech on the 15th of August 2020 about the National Digital Health Mission (NDHM) making it very apt to look at the past, present and future of Indian Healthcare.