Patient safety culture in private hospitals in China: a cross-sectional study using the revised Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture.

Background: This study aimed to translate the revised Hospital Survey on Patient Safety Culture (HSOPSC 2.0) to Mandarin, evaluate its psychometric properties, and apply it to a group of private hospitals in China to identify the determinants associated with patient safety culture. Methods: A two-phase study was conducted to translate and evaluate the HSOPSC 2.0. A cross-cultural adaptation of the HSOPSC 2.0 was performed in Mandarin and applied in a cross-sectional study in China. This study was conducted among 3,062 respondents from nine private hospitals and 11 clinics across six cities in China. The HSOPSC 2.0 was used to assess patient safety culture. Primary outcomes were measured by the overall patient safety grade and patient safety events reported. Results: Confirmatory factor analysis results and internal consistency reliability were acceptable for the translated HOSPSC 2.0. The dimension with the highest positive response was "Organizational learning - Continuous improvement" (89%), and the lowest was "Reporting patient safety event" (51%). Nurses and long working time in the hospital were associated with lower assessments of overall patient safety grades. Respondents who had direct contact with patients, had long working times in the hospital, and had long working hours per week reported more patient safety events. A higher level of patient safety culture implies an increased probability of a high overall patient safety grade and the number of patient safety events reported. Conclusion: The Chinese version of HSOPSC 2.0 is a reliable instrument for measuring patient safety culture in private hospitals in China. Organizational culture is the foundation of patient safety and can promote the development of a positive safety culture in private hospitals in China.

Comparative analysis of the quality of life regarding patients who underwent hip replacement in public versus private hospitals in Hungary.

The study aimed to investigate the impact of hip replacement surgery on the quality of life and to compare the outcomes by sociodemographic and surgical data in Hungarian public and private hospitals. Patients were selected at the Department of Orthopaedics (Clinical Centre, University of Pécs) and at the Da Vinci Private Clinic in Pécs. Patients completed the SF-36 and Oxford Hip Score (OHS) questionnaires before the surgery, 6 weeks and 3 months later. We also evaluated socio-demographic data, disease and surgical conditions. The research involved 128 patients, 60 patients in public, 68 patients in private hospital. Despite the different sociodemographic characteristics and surgical outcomes of public and private healthcare patients, both groups had significantly improved the quality of life 3 months after hip replacement surgery measured by OHS and SF-36 physical health scores (p < 0.001). In the mental health score, only the patients of the private health sector showed a significant improvement (p < 0.001). The extent of improvement did not differ between the two healthcare sectors according to the OHS questionnaire (p = 0.985). While the SF-36 physical health score showed a higher improvement for public patients (p = 0.027), the mental health score showed a higher improvement for private patients (p = 0.015).

The outcomes for women planning a VBAC at a private hospital in Australia.

BACKGROUND: Rates of cesarean birth (CBs) are steadily increasing and account for 36.7% of all births in New South Wales (NSW), with primary cesareans driving the increase. NSW Health guidelines recommend women attempt a vaginal birth after a previous CB (VBAC); however, rates of VBAC are decreasing, particularly within the private hospital setting. This study aimed to determine the rates of adverse outcomes for women who planned a VBAC (pVBAC) compared with women who planned an elective repeat CB (pERCB) at one private hospital in Sydney, Australia. METHOD: This retrospective data review evaluated patient records over a 10-year period (2010-2019). Records (n = 2039) were divided into four groups: pVBAC, pVBAC + EMCB, labor + ERCB (lab + ERCB), and pERCB. The incidence of adverse maternal and neonatal outcomes is reported as counts and percentages. Regression and chi-squared tests were used to compare groups. Significance was determined at a p-value of <0.05. RESULTS: Overall, very low rates (N = 148, 7.3%) of women had a VBAC compared with a repeat CB at this private hospital over the 10-year period. The incidence of adverse outcomes was low regardless of study group. Outcomes differed significantly between groups for postpartum hemorrhage (pERCB seven times less likely than VBAC group) and special care nursery admission (pVBAC + EMCB is 4.6 times more likely than in the VBAC group). CONCLUSION: Overall, it is safe to attempt a VBAC at this private hospital, and labor after a cesarean should be recommended, yet very few women had a VBAC at the study site. The incidence of adverse outcomes was low compared with other published research.

Adherence to COVID-19 protocols: A comparative study of public and private hospitals in Ghana.

Objective: This study aimed to comparatively examine how public and private hospitals adhered to the COVID-19 safety protocols, and the factors associated with, and barriers to adherence in Ghana. Study design: A case study design drawing on quantitative and qualitative methods to determine adherence to, and barrier of adherence to the COVID-19 protocols. Method: A sample of 283 staff participated in the quantitative study, while in-depth interviews were conducted among management staff across the public and private hospitals. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-test to compare differences in adherence and logistic regression model to identify the factors associated with adherence to the COVID-19 protocols. Results: The regression results showed that adherence to the COVID-19 protocols in public and private hospitals were significantly associated with staff training on adherence in public (OR = 2.08; p < 0.01) and private (OR = 1.44; p < 0.05), and knowledge on adherence in public (OR = 3.12; p < 0.01) and private (OR = 11.45; p < 0.01) hospitals. Adherence to the protocol varied significantly between public and private hospitals (0.001 > p < 0.05), with an effect size ranging from small to large. Clients' behavioural factors and poor stocking of PPEs due to financial challenges were reported as barriers to adherence in both hospital types. Conclusion: Adherence to the COVID-19 protocols was more pronounced in public hospitals than private hospitals suggesting the need for interventions targeting the latter to promote client and staff safety.

Does the opening of an emergency department influence hospital admissions? Evidence from French private hospitals.

Although operating an emergency department (ED) can influence general admission activity of hospitals, most articles that analyze hospital care ignore the potential spillover of emergency activity. In this paper, we examine the consequences of a French reform that encouraged the creation of EDs within private-for-profit (PFP) hospitals in order to decrease congestion in EDs. We use administrative panel data on 365 French PFP hospitals observed between 2002 and 2012. Specifications including hospital fixed-effects are estimated to examine the impact of an ED opening on private hospitals' admission activity, namely inpatient and day-care admissions (ED visits are excluded, but patients admitted following an ED visit are included). We control for shocks that can impact demand for care in hospitals, and we estimate yearly changes before and after the opening. We find that an ED opening is followed by an increase in the number and proportion of inpatient admissions, and by an increase in the length of inpatient stays. A transitory increase in the bed occupancy rate is also observed. In many countries, public and private hospitals compete to some extent. The former provide a public service, while the latter are profit-maximizers that are allowed to specialize in profitable activities. They generally focus on day-care admissions. We provide empirical evidence that private hospitals experience a significant change in the composition of their admissions when they start providing emergency care. Opening an ED creates a new non-selective entryway to private hospitals, resulting in admissions of inpatients with health problems that are more severe. Hence, involving PFP hospitals in the provision of emergency care is likely to make the structure of admissions of private hospitals closer to that of public hospitals.

Factors Affecting Burnout and Job Satisfaction of Physicians at Public and Private Hospitals: A Comparative Analysis.

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to investigate and analyze the impact of physicians' burnout levels on their job satisfaction, the factors related with burnout and job satisfaction, and to see whether there is a difference between public and private hospital physicians. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was adopted and conducted on 160 physicians in Aydin/Turkey. Personal Information Form, Maslach Burnout Inventory, and Minnesota Job Satisfaction Scale were used. Independent samples t-test, one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA), and correlation analysis were conducted. Results: A negative relationship between burnout and job satisfaction among physicians was determined. Female private hospital physicians have significantly higher levels of burnout compared to male physicians. Married public hospital physicians' job satisfaction is significantly higher than single physicians. Public hospital physicians have significantly higher levels of burnout compared to private hospital physicians, as well as a significant lower level of job satisfaction. Conclusion: The physicians have high burnout and low satisfaction levels. For this reason, burnout levels of the physicians should be determined and measures should be taken to reduce it. A possible reason of female physicians having higher levels of burnout in private hospital could be the result of the unique, demanding organizational factors, culture, climate and expectations, including work-life balance issues on working women. An important finding of the study showed that public hospital physicians have higher burnout levels and lower job satisfaction levels than private hospital physicians, largely attributed to the demanding workload and the burdensome bureaucratic processes they must navigate.

Strengthening routine data reporting in private hospitals in Lagos, Nigeria.

The availability of routine health information is critical for effective health planning, especially in resource-limited countries. Nigeria adopted the web-based District Health Information System (DHIS) to harmonize the collection, analysis and storage of data for informed decision-making. However, only 44% of all private hospitals in Lagos State reported to the DHIS despite constituting 90% of all health facilities in the state. To bridge this gap, this study implemented targeted interventions. This paper describes (1) the implemented interventions, (2) the effects of the interventions on data reporting on DHIS during the intervention period and (3) the evaluation of data reporting on DHIS after the intervention period in select private hospitals in Lagos State. A five-pronged intervention was implemented in 55 private hospitals (intervention hospitals), which entailed stakeholder engagement, on-the-job training, in-facility mentoring and the provision of data tools and job aids, to improve data reporting on DHIS from 2014 to 2017. A controlled before-and-after study design was employed to assess the effectiveness of the implemented interventions. A comparable cohort of 55 non-intervention private hospitals was selected, and data were extracted from both groups. Data analysis was conducted using paired and independent t-tests to assess the effect and measure the difference between both groups of hospitals, respectively. An average increase of 65.28% (P < 0.01) in reporting rate and 50.31% (P < 0.01) in the timeliness of reporting on DHIS was seen among intervention hospitals. Similarly, the difference between intervention and non-intervention hospitals post-intervention was significantly different for both data reporting (mean difference = -22.38, P < 0.01) and timeliness (mean difference = -18.81, P < 0.01), respectively. Furthermore, a sustained improvement in data reporting and timeliness of reporting on DHIS was observed among intervention hospitals 24 months after interventions. Thus, implementing targeted interventions can strengthen routine data reporting for better performance and informed decision-making.

A importância de uma equipa comunitária de suporte em cuidados paliativos num hospital privado / The importance of a community palliative care support team in a private hospital

A vivência de uma doença grave em estado avançado e sem perspetiva de cura, repercute-se efetivamente, na pessoa em toda a sua integridade, enquanto ser único e irrepetível, com uma história de vida, também ela, ímpar. Contudo, a medicina assumiu o compromisso de lutar contra a morte e procura formas de a combater, o que gera ao profissional de saúde um sentimento de derrota quando enfrenta o fim de vida do doente, em que a morte é a maior certeza. Surgem assim, os cuidados paliativos como uma prioridade da política de saúde, cuidados ativos, rigorosos, que combinam princípios científicos e humanos, que investem na vida. Mas, que precisam de profissionais de saúde com competências específicas nesta área. Partindo destes pressupostos, optamos por realizar em Estágio de Natureza Profissional numa unidade de cuidados paliativos de um hospital privado, de forma a desenvolver competências especializadas e promover as necessárias sinergias interinstitucionais, com consequentes ganhos em saúde. No decurso do estágio de natureza profissional, desenvolvemos competências especializadas no âmbito da prestação de cuidados, como: gestão de sintomas, apoio e acompanhamento familiar; apoio no processo de luto, comunicação e trabalho em equipa e, competências gerais, como: intervenção na formação, gestão de cuidados e investigação no contexto da prática clínica, de forma a contribuir para a humanização do fim de vida e educar os outros para a construção de um fim de vida condigno. No domínio da prestação de cuidados delineamos intervenções com base nas necessidades presentes do doente e família, com os seus próprios valores e prioridades. Gerimos os sintomas presentes, assumindo-se a comunicação como uma estratégia terapêutica de intervenção na minimização do sofrimento, favorecemos o suporte emocional da família, baseamo-nos no trabalho em equipa, avaliamos resultados, a eficácia, a eficiência e a satisfação das intervenções implementadas. Através do diagnóstico de situação, emerge a necessidade de investigar sobre a importância da existência de uma equipa comunitária de suporte em cuidados paliativos num hospital privado, com o objetivo de conhecer as vantagens da integração de uma equipa comunitária de suporte em cuidados paliativos num hospital privado, de forma a contribuir para a continuidade de cuidados e para a acessibilidade das pessoas a cuidados ativos, rigorosos, cientificamente competentes e humanos. Estudo de natureza qualitativo, com recurso à entrevista semiestruturada dirigida a profissionais de saúde de um hospital privado. Os achados foram submetidos à análise de conteúdo segundo Bardin (2015). Respeitados os princípios éticos e legais. Verificamos que prestar cuidados de alta qualidade com base nas necessidades dos doentes e familiares, é indispensável uma colaboração multiprofissional baseada numa visão partilhada da essência dos CP. Foram identificadas vantagens ao nível da existência de uma Equipa Comunitária de Suporte em CP, nomeadamente para o desenvolvimento de habilidades nos familiares, assegurando a continuidade de cuidados no domicílio, bem como a promoção de uma maior confiança entre quem cuida e é cuidado. Contudo, consideram alguns aspetos dificultadores como os custos que acarretam e a falta de recursos com formação em cuidados paliativos. Como aspetos facilitadores dão ênfase à integração do doente no seu meio familiar. Sugerem uma aposta no marketing dos cuidados paliativos. No domínio da formação desenvolvemos um Guia de Cuidados Após Alta Hospitalar para o Doente e sua Família e no domínio da gestão tivemos como foco o desenvolvimento de um Projecto para a criação de Uma Equipa Comunitária de Suporte em Cuidados Paliativos. Considera-se ter desenvolvido competências especializada em cuidados paliativos.

The experience of a severe disease at an advanced stage and with no prospect of cure effectively affects the person in all his/her integrality, as a unique and unrepeatable being, with a unique life history. However, medicine has assumed the commitment to fight against death and seeks ways to combat it, which generates a feeling of defeat for the health professional when facing the end of life of the patient, in which death is the greatest certainty. Thus, palliative care emerges as a priority in health policy, active, rigorous care that combines scientific and human principles, that invests in life. But it needs health professionals with specific skills in this area. Based on these assumptions, we chose to carry out an Internship of Professional Nature in a palliative care unit of a private hospital, in order to develop specialized skills and promote the necessary inter-institutional synergies, with consequent gains in health. During the professional internship, we developed specialized skills in care provision, such as: symptom management, family support and follow-up, support in the bereavement process, communication and teamwork, and general skills, such as: intervention in training, care management and research in the context of clinical practice, in order to contribute to the humanization of the end of life and educate others for the construction of a dignified end of life. In the field of care delivery, we design interventions based on the present needs of the patient and family, with their own values and priorities. We manage the present symptoms, assuming communication as a therapeutic strategy of intervention to minimize suffering, we favor the emotional support of the family, we are based on teamwork, we evaluate results, the effectiveness, efficiency and satisfaction of the interventions implemented. Through the diagnosis of the situation, the need emerges to investigate the importance of the existence of a community palliative care support team in a private hospital, with the purpose of knowing the advantages of integrating a community palliative care support team in a private hospital, so as to contribute to the continuity of care and the accessibility of people to active, rigorous, scientifically competent and humane care. This is a qualitative study, using semi-structured interviews with health professionals from a private hospital. The findings were submitted to content analysis according to Bardin (2015). The ethical and legal principles were respected. We found that providing high quality care based on the needs of patients and families requires a multidisciplinary collaboration based on a shared vision of the essence of PC. The advantages of the existence of a Community PC Support Team were identified, namely for the development of skills in family members, ensuring continuity of care at home, as well as promoting greater trust between those who care and those who are cared for. However, they consider some of the complicating aspects to be the costs involved and the lack of resources with training in palliative care. As facilitating aspects, they emphasize the integration of the patient in his or her family environment. They suggest a focus on the marketing of palliative care. In terms of training, we developed a Post-Discharge Care Guide for the Patient and his Family and in terms of management, we focused on the development of a Project for the creation of a Community Support Team in Palliative Care. It is considered to have developed specialized skills in palliative care

Clinical Profile of COVID-19 Patients Admitted at a Private Hospital During Three Surges in Mandalay, Myanmar.

Introduction During the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, private hospitals in Mandalay started to manage COVID-19 infections according to national treatment guidelines since February 2021. Variations of clinical characteristics and their outcomes in different surges could be evaluated in the private hospital. This study aimed to assess the clinical profile and outcomes of COVID-19 patients admitted at a private hospital during three surges in Mandalay. Methods This study is a retrospective record review of the case series of COVID-19 patients admitted at City Hospital, Mandalay. The study was conducted from January to December 2022. All of the hospital records of COVID-19 patients admitted during the second wave from February 2020 to 26 May 2021, the third wave from 27 May 2021 to 27 January 2022, and the fourth wave from 28 January to April 2022 were included in the study. Results A total of 1606 admitted cases were included in the study. The mean with standard deviation (SD) of age was 55.7±18.5, and males were 778 (48.4%). The mean duration of hospital stay in days was 10.8±5.94, 10.6±6.11, and 7.3±2.88 in second, third, and fourth waves, respectively. The mean duration of hospital stay was shortened in the fourth wave. Comorbid conditions with hypertension and/or diabetes diseases were mostly observed in three waves of COVID-19 infection. Fever was the most presented symptom in three waves. Cough, sore throat, and rhinorrhea were observed more in the fourth wave compared with previous waves. Complication with pneumonia (71.3%), liver dysfunction (21.0%), acute respiratory distress syndrome (10.0%), thrombocytopenia (6.2%), acute kidney injury (5.5%), bleeding (3.9%), and pulmonary embolism (2.9%) were investigated. Antiviral treatment such as remdesivir or molnupiravir was used more in the patients of third and fourth waves than those of the second wave. Oxygen therapy (59.9%), prone position (35.5%), non-invasive ventilation (9.5%), invasive ventilation (0.5%), inotropes (4.6%), and renal replacement therapy (1.1%) were recorded in serious cases. Only 7.9% and 9.4% died in the hospital in second and third waves. No mortality was observed in the fourth wave. Conclusions The study recommended that COVID-19 patients with comorbid conditions of hypertension or diabetes and ages 65 and older should be taken with intensive care support at the hospital. This study also concluded that a private hospital in Mandalay could tackle with COVID-19 severe cases in line with national treatment guidelines since the second wave and could provide better management in the fourth wave. Antiviral treatment should be used in severe COVID-19 cases for further emergency management. In conclusion, private hospital involvement in the COVID-19 pandemic is supportive of the healthcare provision in Myanmar in an emergency situation.

The relationship between hospital ownership, in-hospital mortality, and medical expenses: an analysis of three common conditions in China.

BACKGROUND: Private hospitals expanded rapidly in China since 2009 following its national health reform encouraging private investment in the hospital sector. Despite long-standing debates over the performance of different types of hospitals, empirical evidence under the context of developing countries remains scant. We investigated the disparities in health care quality and medical expenses among public, private not-for-profit, and private for-profit hospitals. METHODS: A total of 64,171 inpatients (51,933 for pneumonia (PNA), 9,022 for heart failure (HF) and 3,216 for acute myocardial infarction (AMI)) who were admitted to 528 secondary hospitals in Sichuan province, China, during the fourth quarters of 2016, 2017, and 2018 were selected for this study. Multilevel logistic regressions and multilevel linear regressions were utilized to assess the relationship between hospital ownership types and in-hospital mortality, as well as medical expenses for PNA, HF, and AMI, after adjusting for relevant hospital and patient characteristics, respectively. RESULTS: The private not-for-profit (adjusted OR, 1.69; 95% CI, 1.08, 2.64) and for-profit (adjusted OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.06, 2.62) hospitals showed higher in-hospital mortality than the public ones for PNA, but not for AMI and HF. No significant differences were found in medical expenses across hospital ownership types for AMI, but the private not-for-profit was associated with 9% higher medical expenses for treating HF, while private not-for-profit and for-profit hospitals were associated with 10% and 11% higher medical expenses for treating PNA than the public hospitals. No differences were found between the private not-for-profit and private for-profit hospitals both in in-hospital mortality and medical expenses across the three conditions. CONCLUSION: The public hospitals had at least equal or even higher healthcare quality and lower medical expenses than the private ones in China, while private not-for-profit and for-profit hospitals had similar performances in these aspects. Our results added evidences on hospitals' performances among different ownership types under China's context, which has great potential to inform the optimization of healthcare systems implemented among developing countries confronted with similar challenges.

Breast cancer outcomes in a private hospital appear better than national outcomes in a country with a mixed public/private healthcare model.

BACKGROUND: Ireland has a mixed model of healthcare delivery with a public healthcare system funded by general taxation and a large private healthcare insurance system, covering 43% of the population in 2012 and 2016. We set out to examine disparities in outcomes among patients with breast cancer treated in a private hospital compared to national outcomes over a comparable period. METHODS: Medical records of patients diagnosed with early (Stage 1-3 as per AJCC version 5) breast cancer between 2010 and 2015 at Bon Secours Hospital, Cork, Ireland were reviewed. Staging was confirmed and 5-year disease specific survival (DSS) and overall survival (OS) were calculated. DSS was compared to 5-year net survival (NS) figures from the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI) for a comparable period (2010-2014). RESULTS: DSS (Bon Secours) and NS (NCRI) are summarized in Table 5 and Fig. 2. 5-year survival figures are numerically higher in the private hospital compared with national data for individual stage. Taking stages 1 to 3 combined, the 95% confidence intervals do not cross, indicating statistical significance. CONCLUSIONS: We found evidence of superior outcomes in patients with early breast cancer treated at a private hospital compared with national outcome figures. This was demonstrated in 'all comers' (stages 1-3 combined), and particularly in patients with stage 3 breast cancer. Potential reasons for this disparity include differences in socioeconomic status, health-seeking behaviours and/or underlying health status between the two populations included. Differences in extent or timeliness of access to therapies may also contribute.

Anthropometric status of nurses working at a private hospital in Pietermaritzburg, KwaZulu-Natal.

Background: The prevalence of overweight and obesity among nurses in South Africa (SA) is increasing. This is a concern as overweight and obesity increase the risk for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). Aim: This study aimed to determine the anthropometric status of nurses working at a private hospital and to identify the factors related to a high body mass index (BMI). Setting: This study was conducted at a private hospital in Pietermaritzburg (PMB), KwaZulu-Natal (KZN). Methods: Weight, height and waist circumference (WC) measurements were taken, using standardised procedures. A self-administered questionnaire was developed to collect data on factors associated with a high BMI. Results: Most participants were overweight or obese (86.2%; n = 112). The mean BMI of females (33.55 kg/m2) was significantly higher than that of males (28.08 kg/m2) (p = 0.043). Nurses who did not smoke had a significantly higher BMI (33.84 kg/m2) than those who smoked (29.58 kg/m2) (p = 0.030). Nurses who skipped meals had a higher mean BMI (33.75 kg/m2) than those who did not skip meals (29.63 kg/m2) (p = 0.005). Most females had a WC above 88 cm (66.2%; n = 86), indicating a substantially increased risk for metabolic complications. Conclusion: There was a high prevalence of overweight and obesity among the nurses according to BMI. According to WC, most female nurses had an increased risk for metabolic complications. Being female, not smoking and skipping meals were associated with a higher BMI. Contribution: This study highlights the increasing prevalence of overweight and obesity among nurses.

Audit of radiation oncology practice: Lessons from a new private hospital in Delhi, India.

Aims: The objective of this audit was to analyze the radiotherapy (RT) practice in a newly established tertiary private hospital. With increasing radiation oncology (RO) facilities in private sector, this report is the first audit from a private health organization in India. Subjects and Methods: The audit of all consecutively registered patients in RO has focused to extract data from the time of RT simulation planning till the completion of RT course. The patient and disease characteristics,RT-related treatment factors and compliance were analyzed in-depth. Results: In this newly established RO department, the vendor-supplied equipment, e.g., RT planning system, treatment delivery (linear accelerator and brachytherapy), and RO information system (ROIS), are integrated with enterprise-wide hospital information system into unified paperless workflow management for the patient care records in a prospective manner. This analysis comprised consecutive 328 patients who consented for RT simulation and planning from April 20, 2018, to December 31, 2019. RT course compliance was 94.8% (311/328 patients), and treatment intent-wise: curative plus adjuvant in 60.2% and palliative RT in 36%. RT technique was conformal in all 100%, with volumetric arc radiotherapy (VMAT) delivered to 66.6% of patients. With overall median RT course duration of 29 days (range 1-81 days), the patients were delivered a median of 20 fractions. Conclusions: Compared to the previously published audit from an academic RO department in Delhi, this audit from a private hospital has shown (i) lesser waiting time, (ii) improved treatment compliance, (iii) utilization of higher techniques, and (iv) a lower duration of RT course.

Influencia de factores psicosociales en el clima y estrés laboral del personal de un hospital ecuatoriano / Influence of psychosocial factors on work climate and stress in Ecuadorian hospital personnel

RESUMEN Introducción: actualmente, el estudio de las relaciones del individuo con las condiciones de su trabajo resulta de gran interés. Objetivo: analizar la influencia de factores psicosociales de riesgo en el clima y estrés laboral de los trabajadores de un hospital básico en la ciudad de Ambato, en Ecuador. Materiales y métodos: estudio no experimental, transversal y prospectivo. A cincuenta trabajadores se le aplicaron tres encuestas: CoPsoq-istas21 (versión 2), cuestionario de clima laboral FOCUS-93 y el cuestionario para la evaluación del estrés (versión 3) de la Pontificia Universidad Javeriana. Se utilizaron la prueba de Chi-cuadrado de Pearson, con un nivel de significancia del 0,05, para descartar la hipótesis nula, y la regresión lineal curvilínea para determinar la influencia de los factores en las dos variables dependientes. Resultados: la estima (100 % de desfavorabilidad), las exigencias psicológicas (94 %) y la doble presencia (90 %) fueron los factores psicosociales peor calificados por los informantes. Solo el 40,5 % de los participantes consideraron su clima laboral como satisfactorio; y se registró en el 80 % de la población la presencia de síntomas fisiológicos y psicoemocionales provocados por el estrés. La inseguridad sobre el futuro y el apoyo social/calidad de liderazgo, fueron las subvariables que mayor número de inferencias estadísticas tuvieron con el estrés y el clima laboral. Conclusiones: los factores de riesgo psicosociales influyeron en la percepción negativa del clima laboral y en el incremento de la sintomatología del estrés.

ABSTRACT Introduction: currently, the study of the relationships between people and their work conditions are of great interest. Objective: to analyze the influence of risk psychosocial factors in the labor climate and stress of the workers of a basic hospital in the city of Ambato, Ecuador. Materials and methods: non-experimental, cross-sectional and prospective study. Three surveys were applied to 50 workers: the CoPsoQ-ista21 (version 2), the FOCUS-93 labor climate questionnaire, and the stress evaluation inventory of the Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (version 3). Pearson's Chi-square test, with a significance level of 0.05, was used to discard the null hypothesis, and curvilinear linear regression was used to determine the influence of the factors on the two dependent variables. Results: esteem (100 % unfavorableness), psychological demands (94 %) and double presence (90 %) were the psychosocial factors the informers rated worst. Only 40.5 % of the participants considered their work climate as satisfactory; and the presence of physiological and psycho-emotional symptoms caused by stress was recorded in 80 % of the population. Conclusions: psychosocial risk factors influenced the negative perception of the labor environment and the increase of stress symptoms.

Experiences of nurses practising mindfulness during self-leadership in delivering a rapid response system for general wards in a private hospital in Gauteng.

BACKGROUND:  The increased complexity of the nursing care needs of patients and acuity in general wards present nursing care challenges for nurses. Self-led nurses are attentive, taking responsibility for activating the rapid response service when a patient is starting to deteriorate. OBJECTIVES:  The purpose of this article is to describe nurses' experiences practising mindfulness during self-leadership in delivering a rapid response system (RRS) in a private hospital in Gauteng. METHOD:  A qualitative, exploratory, descriptive and contextual design was followed. Homogenous purposive sampling was used and a total of eight focus groups were conducted. Focus groups durations were between 45 min and 60 min. The data analysis was carried out through open coding on Atlas.ti using the noticing things, collecting things and thinking about things (NCT) approach. An independent coder met with the researcher during a consensus meeting and finalised the analysis. RESULTS:  The findings indicated an underlying theme of nurses being mindful in their self-leadership through the development of self-motivation and self-direction in the RRS. Three categories with six subcategories emerged from the data analysis, namely self-motivation in an RRS by the team, self-direction through role-modelling to peers and training. CONCLUSION:  Nurses practised mindfulness during self-leadership, utilising behavioural and natural reward approaches and constructive thought patterns. These findings could assist management with developing training programmes for nurses.

A quantitative study of nurses perception to advance directive in selected private and public secondary healthcare facilities in Ibadan, Nigeria.

OBJECTIVES: The study evaluated nurses' perceptions on the benefits, drawbacks, and their roles in initiating and implementing advance directives (AD) at private and public secondary healthcare units. METHODS: The study adopted a cross-sectional, comparative-descriptive research design and was anchored on the structural functional theory. A total of 401 nurses (131 private and 270 public) were chosen on purpose. The data was collected between January and March 2018 among nurses at the selected hospitals. Analysis was done via SPSSv28.0.1.0. RESULTS: Compared to nurses working in private healthcare facilities (72.5%), the majority of nurses at the public healthcare facilities (75.2%) indicated a more favorable opinion of AD's benefits and (61.9%) felt they had a substantial involvement in the development and execution of AD than their private counterpart (56.5%). Similarly, 60.7% of nurses employed by the government agreed that AD has some disadvantages compared to those employed by the private sector (58.8%). Significantly, Christian nurses are 0.53 times less likely than Muslims to contest AD's benefits; 0.78 times less likely than Muslim to disagree that AD has flaws; and 1.30 times more likely than Muslim nurses to deny they contributed to the development and execution of AD, though not significant. CONCLUSION: Making decisions at the end-of-life can be challenging, thus AD should be supported across the board in the healthcare industry. Nurses should be trained on their role in developing and implementing AD, as well as on its advantages and how to deal with its challenges.

Patient preferences and choices as a reflection of trust-A cluster analysis comparing postsurgical perceptions in a private and a public hospital.

BACKGROUND: Active participation of patients in managing their medical treatment is a major component of the patient empowerment process and may contribute to better clinical outcomes. Patient perceptions and preferences affect the patient-physician encounter in a variety of dimensions, such as patient autonomy, freedom of choice and trust in the healthcare system. The Israeli healthcare system is mostly publicly funded, with additional private healthcare services for surgery and other medical treatments. The aim of this study was to compare the perceptions and preferences of patients in the public and private hospitals in Israel. METHODS: A cross-sectional study among 545 individuals who had surgical procedures at two hospitals in Israel (one public and one private). A structured questionnaire comprising 23 items was used to collect perceptions via personal telephone interviews. The responses were categorized into five clusters and compared by type of health services provider (public vs. private) and sociodemographic characteristics (gender, age and education level). RESULTS: A hierarchical cluster analysis methodology identified five conceptual groups: trust, concern towards medical errors, dialogue between medical staff and the patient/patient's family, confidentiality and staff bias towards more informed patients, or those with supportive families. Four main themes that highlight patients' preferences were found: physical conditions, personal empowerment and perceived autonomy, patient experience and patient-provider encounter communication. Significant differences between the private and the public healthcare systems were found in four clusters: trust and patient care, patient's concerns, the extent of explanation and medical staff's commitment. Differences secondary to sociodemographic parameters were noticed: patients treated at the private hospital scored significantly higher items of trust, medical staff caring and the importance of choosing their treating surgeon, while patients treated at the public hospital scored higher staff commitment to the patient than those treated at the private hospital. CONCLUSIONS: The study revealed the perceptions underlying the decisions of patients to undergo surgical procedures in public or private hospitals. Mutual learning could pave the way to better patient-physician encounters. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Patients from the two hospitals were involved in this study by responding to the questionnaire. The data presented is based on the patient's responses.

Do Patient Experiences Have Mediating Roles on Patient Loyalty?

The study aimed to evaluate the mediating roles of patient experiences on patient loyalty. The data were collected through an electronic questionnaire regarding feedback from 5732 patients received outpatient clinics. Patient loyalty was evaluated using the Net Promoter Score (NPS11) that patients were asked whether they would like to recommend the hospital to their relatives or friends. Patient experiences with physicians, nurses, and waiting times were also asked in the questionnaire. After preliminary analysis, mediation analyses were performed to evaluate direct and indirect causal effects among variables for NPS11. While patient experiences are used as possible mediators, Branch Groups in the first and Admission Time in the second model are independent variables. In the analyses, Surgical Medical Science (p = 0.019) and Day Shift (p = 0.000) have a direct mediating effect on NPS11. Nursing care experiences were found to be a mediator variable for NPS11 in both models (p = 0.000 for both). Patient loyalty was associated with Surgical Medical Science and Day Shift primarily whereas Nursing care experience had a mediating role.

Leadership Style and Hospital Performance: Empirical Evidence From Indonesia.

The COVID-19 pandemic created new conditions for the functioning of all organizations. Suddenly, there was a problem with the lack of appropriate leadership styles models in health care organizations (hospitals), which are particularly vulnerable to disruptions in a pandemic. Hospitals, in particular, have become exposed to organizational and managerial problems. The article aims to propose an appropriate leadership style model that will guarantee a high level of hospital efficiency, taking into account a pandemic situation in the example of private hospitals in Indonesia. Organizational identification is promoted as a mediating variable due to the high level of this variable in explaining hospital performance in Indonesia based on preliminary studies. During research used a structural equation model using 394 samples at the unit leadership level in private hospitals in Indonesia. The results of this study explain that there is an impact between innovative leadership and strategic leadership styles on hospital performance. Private hospitals in Indonesia need to improve themselves to use the most appropriate leadership style model based on the needs of the hospital itself.

Financial configurations of Italian private hospitals: an evolutionary analysis.

Private hospitals are an important pillar in many hybrid systems. In Italy they are bound to grow, but we have little knowledge of how they are coping with financial pressures. We use a configurational approach to determine the relationship between the macroprofiles of Italian private hospitals and their performance. We built a unique dataset with governance and financial statements data of all Italian private hospitals. We use a combination of partial triadic analysis (PTA) and clustering technique to identify both the main explicative financial dimensions and hospital configurations, and trace their evolutionary paths from the beginning of Regional Health Care Turnaround Plans (2008) to 2016. Understanding the evolution of configurations, our study entails also some implications for policy and practice.