The importance of a high-performance work environment in hospitals

To examine the benefits of a high-performance work environment (HPWE) for employees, patients, and hospitals.

Forty-five adult, medical-surgical units in nine hospitals in upstate New York.

Cross-sectional study.

Surveys were collected from 1,527 unit-based hospital providers (68.5 percent response rate). Hospitals provided unit turnover and patient data (16,459 discharge records and 2,920 patient surveys).

HPWE, as perceived by multiple occupational groups on a unit, is significantly associated with desirable work processes, retention indicators, and care quality.

Our findings underscore the potential benefits for providers, patients, and health care organizations of designing work environments that value and support a broad range of employees as having essential contributions to make to the care process and their organizations.