Exploring the Human Factors Affecting Health Service Managers: A Qualitative Study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Behavior
• Human Factors in Management

Background:

• Health service systems face persistent management challenges impacting efficiency.
• Effective hospital operations depend on identifying and resolving these management issues.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the human factors influencing health service managers.
• To understand the challenges faced by managers in health-service organizations.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study involving in-depth, unstructured interviews with 29 employees.
• Purposeful sampling and conventional content analysis using MAXQDA software.

Main Results:

• A primary theme of "managing managers" emerged, with sub-themes including inappropriate appointments, human/social needs, influential employees, and communication disruptions.
• Employees actively influence managers, diverting focus from core management tasks and distorting practices.

Conclusions:

• Employee actions can impede managers' ability to focus on their duties, negatively affecting management practices.
• Findings can inform health-service policymakers on appointing suitable managers and identifying influential personnel to improve organizational goal achievement.