Management Tools for Quality Performance Improvement in Italian Hospitals

Lanza

Enna

et al. 2020

BMC Health Serv Res

Self Cite

Background: Human resources play a critical role in encouraging efficient performance within organisations, especially for public healthcare organisations, where competences of staff are key aspects of the quality of services provided. In this context, the enhancement of competences are strategic objectives for Human Resources Management (HRM) in order to achieve excellent and lasting results. However, competences of healthcare professionals are both clinical and managerial. This study identifies specific managerial competences perceived as crucial by healthcare professionals in order to improve their performance and develop suitable HRM practices. Methods: The research methodology was divided into three main phases using mixed methods, commencing with literature review to identify the initial framework about managerial competences. Focus groups were then used to discuss evidence from the literature. Feedback from focus groups was used to draft the final questionnaire. Finally, the answers to the questionnaire were analysed through statistical software. Results: The results show that managers and professionals share a view of what specific managerial competences for healthcare organisations should be. Main competences are: quality evaluation based on outcomes; enhancement of professional competences; programming based on process management; project cost assessment; informal communication style; and participatory leadership. Conclusions: Although the issue of managerial skills in healthcare is widely discussed in literature, findings are often fragmentary. Our work includes a systematic literature review useful for more empirical studies. Furthermore, our results can support public managers who want to set up positive HRM practices for healthcare professionals.

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managerial competences in public organisations: the healthcare professionals’ perspective

Lanza

Enna

et al. 2020

BMC Health Serv Res

Self Cite

“…There are also several ways of assessing performance, which can broadly be assessed by e ciency, patient satisfaction or quality of care [66]. However, in this study the focus is only on quality performance, which is considered the key dimension of hospital performance [22].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managerial features and outcome in neonatal intensive care units: results from a cluster analysis

Bellù

Zangrandi

et al. 2020

Preprint

Self Cite

Background: Healthcare organisations differ in performance even if they are located in the same country or region. Suitable managerial practices and organisational processes can lead to better health outcomes. As a result, hospitals are constantly looking for managerial arrangements that can improve outcomes and keep costs down. This study aims to identify different managerial models in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and their impact on a large number of outcomes. Methods: The research was conducted in Italy, within the SONAR project. SONAR’s aim was to identify the characteristics of NICUs, monitor outcomes and promote best practices. This study includes 51 of the 63 NICUs that took part in the SONAR project. Questionnaires on the activities and managerial features were administered to doctors and nurses working in NICUs. A total of 643 questionnaires were analysed from doctors and a total of 1,601 from nurses. A cluster analysis was performed to identify managerial models of NICUs.Results: Three managerial models emerged from cluster analysis: traditional, collaborative and individualistic. In the “traditional” model the doctor is above the nurse in the hierarchy, and the nurse therefore has exclusively operational autonomy. The “collaborative” model has as key elements professional specialisation and functional coordination. The “individualistic” model considers only individual professional skills and does not concern the organisational conditions necessary to generate organisational effectiveness.The results also showed that there is an association between managerial model and neonatal outcomes. The collaborative model shows best results in almost all outcomes considered, and the traditional model has the worst. The individualistic model is in the middle, although its values are very close to those of traditional model.Conclusions: Health management needs to assess NICU strategically in order to develop models to improve outcomes. This study provides insights for management useful for designing managerial characteristics of NICUs in order to achieve better results. NICUs characterised by a collaborative model in fact show better neonatal outcomes.

“…There are also several ways of assessing performance, which can be divided into efficiency, patient satisfaction and quality of care [64]. However, in this study the focus is only on quality performance, which is considered the key dimension of hospital performance [22].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…It is one of the most important skills that managers should possess. Leadership is essential in creating the favorable conditions and leading employees toward the desired results [22].…”

Section: Area 3 Leadershipmentioning

confidence: 99%

Managerial features and outcome in neonatal intensive care units: results from a cluster analysis

Bellù

Zangrandi

et al. 2020

Preprint

Self Cite

Background Healthcare organisations differ in performance even if they are located in the same country or region. Suitable managerial practices and organisational processes can lead to better health outcomes. As a result, hospitals are constantly looking for managerial arrangements that can improve outcomes and keep costs down. This study aims to identify different managerial models in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) and their impact on a large number of outcomes.Methods The research was conducted in Italy, within the SONAR project. SONAR’s aim was to identify the characteristics of NICUs, monitor outcomes and promote best practices. This study includes 51 of the 63 NICUs that took part in the SONAR project. Questionnaires on the activities and managerial features were administered to doctors and nurses working in NICU. 643 questionnaires were analysed from doctors and a total of 1,601 from nurses. A cluster analysis was performed to identify managerial models of NICUs.Results Three managerial models emerged from cluster analysis: traditional, collaborative and individualistic. The results showed that there is an association between managerial models and neonatal outcomes, and have important implications for three categories of management: top management, middle management, and regional health system managers.Conclusions NICU is one of the most expensive and complex areas in healthcare organisations. Health management needs to assess NICU strategically in order to develop models to improve outcomes. This study provides useful insights for management to draft the managerial characteristics of NICUs in order to achieve better results in terms of clinical outcome.