Managing Covid-19 crisis: The Locarno hospital “La Carità” as a relevant case in the Ticino's hospital system response to the pandemic

ABSTRACT

In Switzerland, Ticino was one of the Cantons most affected by the Covid-19 pandemic and the reconfiguration of its hospital system relied on the creation of Covid-centers. This paper analyzes how the hospital “La Carità” in Locarno (ODL), appointed as reference Covid-center at the cantonal level in mid-March, has reorganized itself, playing a central active role in the response of the Ticino hospital system. The analysis, based on semi-structured interviews administered to six key actors of the hospital management, shed light on the main success factors of the response to the emergency. In particular, case study indicates some important drivers the EOC multisite hospital model, an agile and coordinated structure at the institutional and operational level (fostering both unity of command and flexibility), the importance of public-private cooperation in a context of network governance, the management according to a logic of learning by doing and the orientation toward managerial and operational innovation. Copyright © FrancoAngeli