Teaching hospital performance: towards a community of shared values?

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Studies
• Public Health

Background:

• Teaching hospitals (THs) are crucial for medical education and patient care.
• Understanding stakeholder perceptions of TH performance is vital for strategic development.
• Previous research on TH performance models exists, but requires context-specific adaptation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify emerging performance dimensions in Italian teaching hospitals (THs).
• To analyze variations in performance views among different hospital stakeholders.
• To adapt and apply a multiple constituent model to the Italian TH context.

Main Methods:

• An in-depth case study of an Italian teaching hospital was conducted.
• A quantitative survey method using a questionnaire based on Parsons' social system action theory was employed.
• Data was collected from physicians, caregivers, and administrative staff between April and September 2011.

Main Results:

• Hospital performance is confirmed to be multifaceted, encompassing efficiency, effectiveness, quality of care, and organizational/human aspects.
• A high degree of consensus was observed among physicians, caregivers, and administrative staff regarding these performance dimensions.
• An emerging shared view of hospital performance indicates alignment among internal stakeholders.

Conclusions:

• The study confirms a consensus among stakeholders on the multifaceted nature of teaching hospital performance.
• Findings provide valuable insights for prioritizing management strategies to enhance TH performance.
• The multiple constituent model effectively captures diverse stakeholder perspectives in the Italian TH setting.