International Journal of Academic Research in Education and Review

Vol. 10(1), pp. 1-7, January 2022

ISSN: 2360-7866

https://doi.org/10.14662/ijarer2022005

 

Full Length Research

 

 

The Impacts of Social Media Use on Health Service Delivery among Patients and Health Care Providers amidst COVID-19 in Military Hospital, Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

 

1Ikpoko-Ore-Ebirien Dike Isaruk, 2Wosa, Sylvanus Amadioha, 3Justina I. D. Isaruk, 4Pauline Chidima Okocha, 5Eberechi Omengbeoji & 6Ngozi Chile Onuah

 

1School of Health Information Management, Rivers State College of Health Science and Management Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria. Corresponding author 's Email: dykeman1974@gmail.com & https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6221-4643

2School of health information management, Rivers State College of Heath science and management technology, Port Harcourt.

3RMHIM, Department of Health Information Management, University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria

4M&E Officer, RMHIM, Department of Health, Obio/Akpor Local Government Council, Rivers State, Nigeria

5Department of Health Information Management, Rivers State College of Health Science & Management Technology, Port Harcourt, Nigeria.

6RMHIM, Department of Health Information Management, Rivers State University Teaching Hospital, Port Harcourt, Nigeria

 

Accepted 14 January 2022

Abstract

Abstract: Health care providers working in most hospitals in the world and, particularly in Nigeria often communicate with patients through direct physical contact. This medium of healthcare providers' patient interaction seems to be challenging for quality healthcare management actualization even in the evolving COVID-19 pandemic era. Hence, the study examined the impacts of social media use on health service delivery among patients, and healthcare providers in Military Hospital Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria. A survey research design was adopted. The population of the study consists of 120 health providers and 137 outpatients. The sample size of 84 healthcare providers and 95 patients was determined using Krejcie and Morgan (1990) sample size determination table. The questionnaire items were structured into Likert four rating scale. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistics tools like frequency and percentage tables. The Findings revealed that health care providers perceived that social media use enables their participation in networking and content showing- strongly agreed 18(60%); reduces rowdiness of patients in Military Hospital- agreed 12(40%); improves specialty cares- agreed 21(70%), and enhances patients-healthcare providers’ relationships- strongly agreed 12(40%) and agreed 10(33%). In conclusively, the delivery of quality health services cannot be carried out effectively and efficiently without the use of social media by patients and providers in any hospital. Therefore, The Military Hospital Port Harcourt and Rivers State Government should adopt and implement electronic health information management in healthcare facilities for easy patients’ medical information dissemination/transmission for follow-up or referral care management during and after the COVID-19 era.

 

Keywords: Health Service Delivery, Impacts, Military Hospital, Patients, Providers, Social Media Use.

Paper type: research