Small Clinics as an Innovative and Sustainable Strategy for Advancing Universal Health Coverage in Urban Areas

Abstract

The study explores perceptions of the administration of healthcare services at Mohalla Clinics, with a particular focus on ease of access, affordability, and the quality of health services. The research work has been carried out using primary data collected through a structured survey conducted at various clinics in Delhi. A total of 660 participants were selected using a two-stage sampling process. A stratified random sampling method was employed for selecting the districts, and 60 participants were drawn from each district. Two clinic sites in each of the districts were selected, and a total of 30 patients were randomly sampled in each clinic. The survey carried out a questionnaire about their perception of the health care system and service received, and their socio-demographic features. Descriptive statistics and exploratory factor analysis (EFA) were used to analyze the data to determine the factors influencing the evaluations of the services. The results show that these clinics are part of efforts to expand access to services, as they are sought out by women and low-moderate income women and men. The proximity, ease of access, and reduction of direct charges for patients attending the clinics for consultation and treatment, and for diagnostic tests, were viewed as strengths of the clinics. Quality of services has the greatest impact on perceptions; the other factors are accessibility and affordability. The findings indicate that Mohalla Clinics have significantly reduced geographical and financial barriers to accessing community-based primary healthcare. This achievement holds considerable potential for advancing universal health coverage in urban India.