Patient Satisfaction and Return Rates in Rural Telemedicine Services of Northern Ghana: An Assessment

Telemedicine services have been introduced to rural healthcare facilities in northern Ghana as a means of improving access to medical care and reducing travel distances for patients. A mixed-methods approach was employed, including a survey design to gather quantitative data on patient satisfaction scores (rated on a scale from 1 to 5) and a qualitative interview component to explore reasons for return rates among respondents. Survey results indicated an average patient satisfaction score of 4.2 out of 5, with significant variation observed across different service providers (p < 0.05). Qualitative interviews revealed themes such as improved access to specialized care and convenience in scheduling appointments. The findings suggest a positive correlation between telemedicine service accessibility and patient satisfaction, although variability exists among different healthcare facilities. Further research should focus on understanding long-term impact and exploring ways to enhance return rates by addressing logistical challenges faced by rural patients. Telemedicine, Rural Healthcare, Patient Satisfaction, Return Rates, Northern Ghana Treatment effect was estimated with $\text{logit}(p_i)=\beta_0+\beta^\top X_i$, and uncertainty reported using confidence-interval based inference.