Exploring perceptions, motivations, and practices regarding outsourcing support services by general hospitals in...

Area of Science:

• Health Services Management
• Healthcare Administration
• Operations Management in Healthcare

Background:

• Outsourcing is increasingly adopted by healthcare organizations globally.
• Understanding outsourcing dynamics in developing countries is crucial for healthcare system strengthening.
• General hospitals in Uganda face unique operational challenges that may influence outsourcing decisions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the motivations, practices, perceived benefits, and barriers of outsourcing support services in Ugandan general hospitals.
• To explore the factors influencing outsourcing decisions among hospital managers in Uganda.
• To provide evidence-based recommendations for effective hospital outsourcing in developing economies.

Main Methods:

• An explanatory sequential mixed methods design was employed.
• Quantitative data were collected via self-administered questionnaires from 32 randomly selected hospitals.
• Qualitative data were gathered through interviews with 8 purposively selected hospital managers.

Main Results:

• Outsourcing of support services is prevalent, with 72% of hospitals engaging in it.
• The primary motivation for outsourcing was to gain access to quality services (68%).
• Key challenges included the limited availability of service providers (57%), while improved productivity and services were perceived as major benefits (90%). Limited financing was identified as the main barrier.

Conclusions:

• Outsourcing is a common strategy in Ugandan hospitals, driven by the pursuit of quality services.
• Addressing barriers such as limited financing and provider availability is essential for optimizing outsourcing benefits.
• The study's findings offer critical insights for developing targeted interventions to enhance hospital outsourcing effectiveness in Uganda and similar developing countries.