What Makes a Hospital Excellent? A Qualitative Study on the Organization and Management of Five Leading Public Hospitals in China

Jinhong Zhao ¹, Xue Wu ¹, Yuan Chen ¹

⁰School of Health Policy and Management, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences & Peking Union Medical College, Beijing, 100730, People's Republic of China.

Risk Management and Healthcare Policy +

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September 25, 2023

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

China's leading hospitals utilize the System-Culture-Operation-Performance-Employee (SCOPE) model for effective organization and management, prioritizing well-being and patient outcomes. This model integrates traditional Chinese culture with modern practices for hospital excellence.

Area Of Science

Healthcare Management
Organizational Theory
Qualitative Research

Background

Leading public hospitals in China face unique challenges in organization and management.
Understanding their experiences is crucial for developing effective theoretical models.

Purpose Of The Study

To summarize organizational and management experiences of leading Chinese public hospitals.
To explore an organizational theoretical model for hospital excellence.

Main Methods

Purposive sampling of five leading hospitals in China.
Semi-structured interviews with 8 leaders and 39 managers (August 2021-March 2022).
Thematic analysis and grounded theory applied to four dimensions: system, culture, operations, and employee development.

Main Results

Developed the System-Culture-Operation-Performance-Employee (SCOPE) model.
SCOPE model attributes: organizational system, culture, operations/performance management, employee development.
Management based on SCOPE leads to employee well-being, positive patient outcomes, and organizational excellence, influenced by Chinese cultural values like "benevolence" and "love."

Conclusions

The SCOPE model reflects Chinese leaders' and managers' perspectives on hospital organization and management within a Chinese cultural context.
Findings complement existing literature on hospital management systems and offer insights into culturally-informed healthcare administration.

Keywords:

excellence hospital management lessons model qualitative study