Factors Affecting the Practice of Routine Medical Examination by Health Professionals in a Tertiary Health Center

Objectives Routine medical examination (RME) is a very important, acceptable global best practice for the prevention of sudden death syndrome. It is a well-known fact that the practice of RME does not match the high knowledge of the RME, even among the professionals who provide health care to patients and clients. What is largely responsible for this aberration points to the factors that hinder their practice. Incidentally, there is a paucity of studies in Nigeria about the factors that hinder the practice of RME by health care professionals who are usually the advocates of RME. This study aims to assess the factors affecting the practice of RME among healthcare professionals in the University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Cross River State, Nigeria. Material and Methods A cross-sectional descriptive study was carried out among a sample of 341 health care professionals comprising physicians, nurses, pharmacists, laboratory scientists, physiotherapists, medical records, and health assistants working in a tertiary hospital in Cross River State, Nigeria. Results Majority 203 (59.5%) of the respondents cited non-coverage of RME on the National Health Insurance Agency package, high cost of some tests 146 (42.8%), and work overload 146 (42.8%), as some factors hindering the practice of RME by the participants in our study. Conclusion The high cost of some tests was the major factor affecting the practice of RME in this study, since RME was not covered by the National Health Insurance Agency. Policy makers should ensure that RME is included in the National Health Insurance package.