India’s rural healthcare systems: structural modeling
International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance
ISSN: 0952-6862
Article publication date: 13 August 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to identify factors related to rural healthcare services and establish a hierarchical model for the effective rural healthcare management in India.
Design/methodology/approach
A questionnaire survey identified and correlated numerous factors related to the Uttarakhand rural healthcare systems. Experts opinion were translated into a reachability matrix and an interpretive structural model. A fuzzy matriced impacts croises-multiplication applique and classment (FMICMAC) analysis arranged the factors as hierarchical stages using their driving power.
Findings
The interpretive structural and FMICMAC hierarchical models suggest four key driving factors: diseases, climatic conditions, population growth and political pressure.
Practical implications
Despite numerous issues, rural healthcare services can be improved by considering key driving factors that could be used as a prediction tool for policy makers.
Originality/value
Results demonstrate that population control, coordinating services with local bodies and rural health center annual maintenance can be game changers toward better healthcare services.
Keywords
Citation
Kumar, D. (2018), "India’s rural healthcare systems: structural modeling", International Journal of Health Care Quality Assurance, Vol. 31 No. 7, pp. 757-774. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJHCQA-02-2017-0020
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited