Power struggles within health service - as hospital workers shirk responsibility

A shared management structure makes health service workers feel less empowered, according to a study just published in BMC Health Services Research. Divisions between doctors, nurses and administrative staff may mean that the buck is passed from one group of workers to another.

Over 1000 doctors, nurses and administrators from hospitals in Spain were asked to what degree they thought decisions could be taken independently. All three groups attributed the least power to themselves. The nursing and administrative staff both thought the doctors held the most power whilst the doctors believed the power rested with the administrators.

These findings suggest that attempts to adopt a shared management structure in state-run hospitals may actually be detrimental to health services.

To read this article in full, visit:

Theoretical and perceived balance of power inside Spanish public hospitals Paloma Salvadores, José Schneider, Imanol Zubero BMC Health Services Research 2001, 1:9 http://www.biomedcentral.com/1472-6963/1/9

---

---