More than 92 per cent of Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, Kumasi (KNUST) staff surveyed are willing to receive healthcare under the Family Practice Model (FPM) at the University Hospital, a study by researchers from KNUST and the University of Ghana has found.
The study, published in the Journal of Primary Care & Community Health, assessed the acceptability, feasibility and appropriateness of the model among 345 university staff who had previously accessed outpatient services at the KNUST University Hospital.
The findings showed that 92.2 per cent of participants were willing to use the model if introduced, while 92.8 per cent considered it acceptable and feasible. Another 87.8 per cent considered the model appropriate for implementation at the hospital.
The study, titled “Acceptability, Feasibility, Appropriateness, and Willingness to Use a Family Practice Model Among University Staff Accessing Outpatient Services at a University-Owned Hospital in Ghana,” was authored by Dr. Nana Kwame Ayisi-Boateng and 14 other researchers from KNUST and the University of Ghana.
The Family Practice Model was initiated as a pilot by the University Hospital management in 2024 to strengthen continuity of care, improve patient-provider relationships and facilitate access to outpatient healthcare for non-emergency cases.
Unlike routine outpatient care, where patients may see different doctors during successive visits, the model seeks to establish a more consistent relationship between patients and designated healthcare providers.
Under the model, university staff can register themselves and their family members and select up to three designated doctors, with one serving as the primary physician. Patients may consult either of the other designated doctors when their primary physician is unavailable.
An online booking platform also allows patients to access doctors’ schedules at the beginning of each month.
The researchers found that 80.6 per cent of participants believed the model could improve doctor-patient relationships, while 80 per cent identified improved continuity of care as a potential benefit. Another 72.8 per cent said it could improve the quality of care.
Participants, however, identified potential challenges that would need to be addressed. About 53.3 per cent cited increased workload for doctors, 35.7 per cent raised concerns about long waiting times and 34.8 per cent identified possible over-familiarity between doctors and patients.
The study also found that participants who reported frustration with the existing consultation process had higher odds of expressing willingness to use the Family Practice Model.
Respondents who reported making 11 or more hospital visits annually, however, had lower odds of willingness to use the model compared with those who visited the hospital between one and four times a year.
The researchers cautioned that these associations reflect participants’ reported perceptions and should not be interpreted as evidence of actual implementation readiness or future uptake.
They concluded that the Family Practice Model was perceived as acceptable, feasible and appropriate among the university staff surveyed.
The researchers recommended further studies to assess the model under real-world conditions, including its effect on service utilisation and healthcare outcomes and its applicability to broader populations and healthcare settings.
They also called for potential physician workload and scheduling challenges to be considered in any future evaluation or implementation of the model.
Story: Abigail Ofori
