A Conceptual Essay on the Determinants of Healthcare Provider Choice Among Outpatients in Sri Lanka

Abstract

With the increase in non-communicable diseases and healthcare needs of the rapidly aging population in Sri Lanka, healthcare providers are an essential part of people’s daily lives. The choice of healthcare providers varies amongst Sri Lankans, specifically when seeking outpatient treatments. The aim of the current study is to shed light on factors that lead people to choose one out of the two main out-patient healthcare providers in Sri Lanka: public and private. The current concept paper is built upon the theory of consumptions values to discern what leads people to make the choice that they make between private and public out-patient care. The prospective outcomes of this investigation hold the capacity to exert a substantial influence on both scholarly discourse and practical initiatives. They stand poised to offer invaluable direction to policymakers and institutions in their endeavors to device measures to attract and retain out-patients.