BUREAUCRATS AND PATIENT CARE: EVALUATING SERVICE DELIVERY IN EKITI STATE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENTS

Service to the public should be satisfactorily done to fulfil public needs. It should be delivered in an effective predictable and customer-friendly manner. Bureaucratic procedures are particularly in separation and division of labour, adhering to formal rules and regulations. It has been observed that compliance with formal rules often put off innovative ideas and introduces avenue for the failure of healthcare employees. The capability of hospitals in providing adequate healthcare depends on how effective it can handle emergency health issues. Bureaucratic tendencies in the healthcare system have been a cog in the wheel of speedy care of patients. The cost and volume of bureaucratic directives has reduced the confidence of patients in public hospitals. The study, therefore, investigates patient’s delight and satisfaction with the service provided in the Accident and Emergency unit in some selected hospitals in Ekiti State. The paper employs both primary and secondary sources. The study got its Primary data through structured in-depth interview with the medical staff, administrative staff and patients of the selected hospitals on bureaucratic procedures adopted in the management of patients in their Accident and Emergency (A & E) unit of the hospitals. The secondary data was from government publications, journals and articles. Data from the interview will be qualitatively analyzed using content and discursive analysis to understand the trend of bureaucratic procedures and quality of healthcare services in Ekiti State. The paper therefore recommends that Emotional intelligence training should be given to all healthcare employees. This will entail awareness and understanding of emotions and applying them to behaviour and decision making in the hospitals, Government partnership and collaboration with foreign organizations should be encouraged in order to improve on the quality of service given in the A&E unit of Nigeria Hospitals.