Exploring organisational governance awareness among public hospitals' governance actors in Malawi: a qualitative study

PurposeSound organisational governance does not occur naturally; it is a product of effective awareness. This study aims to examine the level of governance awareness among public hospitals' governance actors in Malawi.Design/methodology/approachThe study uses semi-structured interviews to collect data that are analysed thematically.FindingsThe study found that governance awareness among the actors was low. Although the majority of the actors displayed a broad perspective, they, however, failed to clearly affirm the nexus of the governing organs – hospital board (or its equivalent) and hospital management. Furthermore, most were not aware of the existence of the country's self-regulatory framework for organisational governance. A possible compounding factor to the low level of awareness is their educational background that hardly recognises organisational governance as an essential component of their professional identity.Originality/valueThis is the first study to explore in-depth governance awareness in the context of public hospitals in developing countries. It highlights the need to develop strategies for creating effective governance awareness amongst the actors, which is often overlooked when carrying governance reforms.

Hospitality as differentiated services in Brazilian private hospitals

PurposeThe objective of this study is to assess the role of differentiated hospitality services considering the perspective of Brazilian accredited private hospitals.Design/methodology/approachIn-depth interviews were applied to 10 hospitals top management executives (C-Suite level) having as support unstructured data collection routine exploring the issues: main client of the hospital, differentiated hospitality services (DS), hospital board expectation about DS, brand building, service charging policies and nonfinancial results.FindingsResults indicate the interviewed institutions are adopting gradually a new business model in healthcare, in which an empowered patient and his/her needs and satisfaction is gaining relevance. This new conception having hospitality services as a base is transforming a former medical focused sector into a competitive business-oriented approach.Research limitations/implicationsThe nonprobabilistic nature of the sample does not permit statistical inference of results to the population; they are valid only for healthcare management exploratory insights.Practical implicationsComing from the hotel sector, hospitality amenities are turning into strategic instrument and provoking competition in a segment of hospitals targeting upper-middle-class clients, able to afford higher healthcare insurance premiums.Social implicationsIn the new business approach, the patient that in recent past was passive is increasingly getting attention and bargaining power.Originality/valueThe main contribution is centered on the comprehension of an international dynamic in Brazil of a new business model that is changing a traditional sector, once focused in medicine and healing into a market-oriented business.

Recomendaciones generales de atención de la patología quirúrgica en el contexto de la pandemia por COVID-19 (SARS COV-2)

Establish a communication channel between the department of surgery and the hospital board of directors, with daily reports about the department and the hospital. 2. Consider a 14-day shift followed by a 14-day break period according to the incubation period of the disease. 3. The usual work of the department will be lower due to the decrease in the normal activity. The surgeon without an assigned activity or who has finished it should remain at home to reduce exposure and infection and should be available for any emergency. This distribution should be coordinated by the person designated to such task. 4. All the staff members should receive practical training in donning and doffing of personal protective equipment (PPE) as established in each center. Recomendaciones para equipos de salud | Argentina.gob.ar 5. Working areas, offices and lecture halls must be well ventilated, keeping the safe distance between doctors and with the rest of the hospital staff.

Roles and behaviours of diligent and dynamic healthcare boards

Variation persists in the quality of board-level leadership of hospitals. The consequences of poor leadership can be catastrophic for patients. The year 2019 marks 50 years of public inquiries into healthcare failures in the UK. The aim of this article is to enhance our understanding of context-specific effectiveness of healthcare board practices, drawing on an empirical study of changes in hospital board leadership in England. The study suggests leadership behaviours that lay the conditions for better organisation performance. We locate our findings within the wider theoretical debates about corporate governance, responding to calls for theoretical pluralism and insights into the effects of discretionary effort on the part of board members. We conclude by proposing a framework for the ‘restless’ board from a multi-theoretic standpoint, and suggest a repertoire specifically for healthcare boards. This comprises a suite of board roles as conscience of the organisation, sensor, shock absorber, diplomat and coach, with accompanying dyadic behaviours to match particular organisation aims and priorities. The repertoire indicates the importance of a cluster of leadership practices to fulfil the purposes of healthcare boards in differing, complex and challenging contexts.

Legal Analysis of Hospital Dispute Settlement through Mediation by Provincial Hospital Supervisory Board (BPRS)

Law No. 44 year 2009 on Hospitals mandates the establishment of the Hospital Supervisory Board (BPRS) at national and provincial levels. One of the duties of the Provincial Hospital Board of Supervisors, as mentioned in Article 60, is to receive complaints and to mediate the dispute resolution process. Previously, if the parties agree to use the settlement of the dispute with mediation, it only involves the hospital with the patient or the party who feels aggrieved, and the mediator if necessary. However, there are still hospitals or parties who are harmed by the hospital who directly sued to the court. This paper will explain normatively how the arrangements and obstacles on the dispute settlement of the hospital by means of mediation through BPRS. This research uses normative juridical method with statute approach and analytical approach. The result of this research will describe the arrangement comprehensively and constraint normatively about BPRS as a scientific information for the improvement of BPRS.