Conflict management in a hospital: designing processing structures and intervention methods

This article presents a case study describing the development, structure and operation of a comprehensive system for managing conflicts in a Norwegian city hospital. This was done in an effort to further develop the dispute mechanisms available in the hospital and to strengthen the management skills of clinical leaders and managers in general. By changing the ways managers and professionals handle their disputes, the hospital hopes to reduce the cost of conflicts and realize its benefits. The new conflict management system includes new procedures for managers and professionals to process disputes. The design process of the new system was framed according to an action research approach characterized by creating change through dialogue and the use of local expertise.