Managing intergroup silos to improve patient flow.

Area of Science:

• Health Services Management
• Organizational Behavior
• Patient Flow Optimization

Background:

• Healthcare managers face challenges in coordinating patient care across multiple settings due to intergroup divisions.
• The impact of intergroup dynamics on patient flow is under-researched in existing literature.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore how healthcare managers perceive and address intergroup divisions and organizational silos.
• To understand strategies for improving patient flow by managing intergroup relations.

Main Methods:

• In-depth interviews with 300 managers across 10 Canadian health jurisdictions.
• Thematic analysis using social identity theory concepts.

Main Results:

• Silos were prevalent across all jurisdictions at various organizational levels.
• Effective strategies included formal collaboration opportunities, persuasive communication of shared values, and structural reorganization.
• While collaboration and communication were beneficial, structural changes were not consistently sufficient for improved collaboration.

Conclusions:

• Intergroup silos are inherent in organizations but can be managed.
• Balancing social identity group boundaries with system design needs is crucial for effective patient flow.
• A multi-level "mosaic" identity can enhance intergroup relations and patient flow coordination.