Health Professional’s Experience in Patient-Centered Care in Gedeo Zone, South Ethiopia, A Grounded Theory Study

Background: Patient-centered care (PCC) places the individual patient at the center of healthcare delivery, ensuring that care is provided in a respectful manner. In Ethiopia, the practice of PCC remains limited, and the reasons for its poor implementation have not been explored in a study setting. This study aimed to explore health professionals’ experiences regarding PCC in the Gedeo Zone, Southern Ethiopia. Method: A health institution-based study was conducted using Glasser’s (1992) grounded theory approach. Twenty-one participants were recruited via purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with health professionals at Dilla University General Hospital and Yirga Cheffe Primary Hospital. The interviews were audio recorded and transcribed for thematic analysis using Atlas.ti (v.7) qualitative data analysis software. Inductive thematic analysis was employed to identify themes and sub-themes. Result: Twenty-one health professionals participated in the study, comprising 43% nurses, 33% general medical practitioners, and 24% senior physicians. Fifty-two percent of the participants were from Dilla University General Hospital, while 48% were from Yirga Cheffe Primary Hospital. Participants identified similar experiences that either facilitated or hindered the implementation of PCC, yet most health professionals had not been exposed to the concept. The thematic analysis revealed four major themes: (a) failure to respect patients’ preferences; (b) lack of involvement of patients’ families; (c) poor patient-provider interaction; and (d) challenges to implementing PCC. Participants discussed barriers and provided recommendations to improve the understanding and implementation of PCC in healthcare. Conclusion: This study demonstrated that patient care is primarily delivered from a traditional provider-centered approach focused on episodic curative services, with PCC largely absent in the study setting. However, the support of the hospital senior management team is essential to create an environment that fosters the implementation of PCC and enhances its value among health professionals.