title: [Hospital self-management policy in Chile: perceptions of decision-makers].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To learn the perceptions of decision-makers concerning the imple-men-t-ation stage of a hospital self-management policy in two highly complex hospitals in southern Chile.
  
  
  METHODS
  A descriptive, exploratory, qualitative study based on semi-structured in-depth interviews of decision-makers at the Regional Hospital of Valdivia and the Hospital San José de Osorno from August 2010 to December 2011. A convenience sample of 26 decision-makers was selected. The 26 interviews were recorded and transcribed verbatim. The information was analyzed using inductive content analysis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The interviewees consider the concept of self-management to be determined by autonomy in decision-making about resource allocation and the financing of health service delivery in the hospitals. They also stated that human resources and financing policies should be included to improve the implementation stage. They related weaknesses with the lack of organizational capabilities and managerial skills in the health teams implementing the changes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Conceptually, the hospital self-management policy is based on financial autonomy, and implementation is affected by persistent capacity gaps in policy design.
authors: Instituto de Salud Pública, Facultad de Medicina, Universidad Austral de Chile. claudiomendez@uach.cl
authors: Claudio A
authors: CA
authors: Méndez
authors: Christian
authors: C
authors: Miranda
authors: M Cristina
authors: MC
authors: Torres
authors: Myriam
authors: M
authors: Márquez
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001290:Attitude; D002677:Chile; D003657:Decision Making; D005260:Female; D006739:Hospital Administration / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires