PROJECT RISK MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES AND PROJECT PERFORMANCE AT THE NATIONAL HOSPITAL INSURANCE FUND IN KENYA
Laura Kanyifa Aduma - Master of Business Administration (Project Management Option), Kenyatta University, Kenya
Gladys Kimutai - Lecturer, Management Science Department, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
Social health plans contributions are based on members’ ability to pay but access to services depends on individuals’ health care needs, hence a socialized concept, with emphasis on community spirit of solidarity. However, these goals have not been achieved yet according to a report by NHIF the report delineates that access to medical care has only been increased amongst the middle class. The lower-class individuals find it difficult to get quality healthcare leading to proliferation of quack doctors who are pocket-friendly to this category. Projects by the NHIF have improved the medical services in the country but the risk exposures have limited these project’s scope and efficiency. The purpose of the study was to establish the effect of project risk management techniques on project performance at National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) in Kenya. The objective of the study was to establish the effect of project risk prevention, risk transfer, risk control and risk acceptance management techniques on project performance at National Hospital Insurance Fund (NHIF) in Kenya. This study was hinged on the resource-based view theory, transaction cost economic theory, contingency theory, agency theory and uncertainty theory. The study adopted a descriptive research design. The target population for this study will be 651 management staff who were drawn from the following departments: finance, Health insurance and legal affairs, Public procurement, human resources, Pharmaceuticals and logistics since all their functions are centralized. A sample population of 241 was picked using stratified proportionate random sampling technique. Primary data was obtained using self-administered questionnaires. After data cleaning which entailed checking for errors in entry, descriptive statistics such as frequencies, percentages, mean score and standard deviation was estimated for all the quantitative variables and information presented inform of tables and graphs. Inferential data analysis was done using Pearson correlation coefficient and regression analysis (multiple regression analysis) to establish the relations between the independent and dependent variables. The study concluded that risk preventions have the greatest effect on NHIF project performance followed by risk control then risk acceptance while risk transfer having the least effect on NHIF project performance. The study recommends that more research should be dedicated to the field of risk management in order to unearth even some more methods of risk management that can be influential in terms of helping project managers meet the deliverables that are desired within the set time and budget limits and that the management of NHIF should put in place cost-effective measures for timely risk identification and effective risk mitigation.
