BACKGROUND:
At a time where people-centeredness in health systems design is gaining traction globally, patient feedback can no longer be overlooked as a critical component. However, in many predominantly paper-based healthcare systems in Sub-Saharan Africa, it remains fragmented, informal, and underutilized for decision-making. Innovative digital public health tools present opportunities to standardize patient feedback loops and integration into routine clinical and operational processes.

OBJECTIVE:
This study analyzed how a digital patient-feedback management system impacts decision-making, equitable system responsiveness, and patient-reported quality of care in Ugandan hospitals.

METHODS:
This was an applied research undertaking using mixed-methods, in 56 selected public and private health facilities. CareVoice, a web application deployed in these facilities was used as a prototype for a digital patient-feedback management system. Quantitative data was extracted from standardized patient feedback, system utilization logs, and quality improvement records. It was analyzed using R, applying descriptive statistics and pre–post comparisons to evaluate changes in responsiveness and patient-reported quality-of-care indicators. Qualitative data was collected using open-ended interviews with hospital administrators, clinicians and patients. It was analyzed thematically using Nvivo. Findings were further triangulated across data sources.

RESULTS:
The implementation of standardized digital feedback enabled seamless capture and analysis of patient experience data which supported timely identification of quality-of-care gaps. Hospitals demonstrated better integration of the feedback into operational and quality improvement processes. Tracking and timelines for equitable responsiveness also improved. Better patient-reported communication, respect and dignity was identified following feedback-informed interventions. Interoperability with the UgandaEMR+, a health information management tool used by these facilities, would enhance the usability of feedback for decision-making.

CONCLUSIONS:
Standardized digital patient-feedback systems can transform patient input into actionable health system intelligence, to strengthen decision-making and inclusive quality improvement in similar settings. These findings demonstrate the potential of patient-centered digital tools in advancing equitable, responsive and people-centered health systems.