Driving Institutional Humanization Through Collaborative Governance: A Technical Report From a Portuguese Primary...

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Public Health Policy
• Organizational Psychology

Background:

• Humanized patient care relies on both professional attitudes and organizational conditions.
• Recent Portuguese National Health Service (Serviço Nacional de Saúde, SNS) reforms created Local Health Units (Unidades Locais de Saúde, ULSs), integrating primary care.
• This shift necessitates new governance models for effective implementation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of a collaborative governance model.
• To translate institutional humanization into practical organizational mechanisms within a primary care setting.
• To assess the utilization of institutional incentives for enhancing care quality and professional well-being.

Main Methods:

• A collaborative governance model was implemented between ULS Estuário do Tejo and USF Gago Coutinho.
• Key components included shared priority setting, local needs assessment, centralized procurement, and investments in staff development.
• The model focused on improving workplace conditions and team cohesion during the 2025 incentive cycle.

Main Results:

• The implemented model facilitated full utilization of institutional incentive allocations.
• Resources were transformed into concrete interventions: specialized training (e.g., family-centered care for autism spectrum disorder), infrastructure upgrades, and team-building activities.
• The process demonstrated a successful alignment of allocated resources with practical improvements.

Conclusions:

• Institutional incentives can serve as effective health policy instruments when supported by collaborative governance and administrative decoupling.
• This local implementation offers a practical framework for primary care organizations.
• The model supports the alignment of professional well-being, organizational performance, and humanized patient care.