Downsizing in the hospital system: a restructuring process.
In an effort to maintain fiscal viability, hospitals have been undergoing major restructuring. This article reports on a study that examined innovative downsizing strategies used by 20 acute care hospitals in Ontario. The study team reviewed hospital operating plans and analysed the results of interviews conducted with administrators and employees about the downsizing process. Results revealed no uniformity of approach to downsizing. Although many administrators expressed the need for a cooperative approach, downsizing was typically conducted in a top down fashion, and was perceived very differently by staff and administrators. The authors suggest ways to improve restructuring efforts and put forward questions to guide future research.
Baumann
A
A
McMaster University School of Nursing, Waterloo, Ontario.
O'Brien-Pallas
L
L
Deber
R
R
Donner
G
G
Semogas
D
D
Silverman
B
B
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003363:Cost Control / Q000379:methods; D004651:Employment; D006302:Health Services Research; D006754:Hospital Restructuring / Q000379:methods* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D007407:Interviews as Topic; D009864:Ontario; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D010557:Personnel Administration, Hospital / Q000639:trends*; D010934:Planning Techniques; D017149:Private Sector; D011367:Professional Staff Committees; D000078329:Workforce