OBJECTIVES: Prompt access to effective healthcare is a priority in the developmental agenda of Ghana yet only 20% of people who need healthcare have it. Several established health interventions such as home management of fever and community-based health planning and service (CHPS) are underway. However, evidence on the extent of prompt access to health care and the factors that influence these CHPS programme are woefully inadequate. The study sought to assess the role of geographical proximity and services characteristics on prompt access to health care in CHPS settings. METHODS: A descriptive cross sectional study was conducted in 2011 with 230 respondents within the CHPS zones of Bawjiase Sub-district, Central region of Ghana. Data were collected with structured questionnaire and analyzed using SPSS version 16 software. Logistic regression was run to access the correlation of geographical proximity and service characteristics on prompt access to healthcare in CHPS settings at 95% confidence interval and 5% significance level.  RESULTS: Knowledge about CHPS programme was almost universal 99%, nonetheless, 87% of respondents accessed health care services after 24 hours, lived within a distance of 0.05-0.4 km from CHPS centers and 54% takes approximately 15-30 minutes in reaching these settings, p<0.001. Factors associated with geographical proximity in prompt access to healthcare were good location, easy local accessibility (door step delivery) and distance less than 5Km. Majority 96% of the respondents presumed healthcare services availability, immediate attention on arrival (within 24hours) at the health care facilities and quality of health care were service characteristics that influenced  prompt access to healthcare. CONCLUSIONS:  The study concludes that geographical proximity and service characteristics influence prompt access to quality healthcare in rural CHPS setting. Rolling out CHPS initiative and further study on knowledge and beliefs on access in CHPS setting could inform implementation.