The link between management practices, health professional performance and patient outcomes

Introduction: Management practices in hospitals influence health professionals' performance, quality of health services and patient outcomes. However, scant attention was given to show the link between these practices and patient outcomes. The study aimed at examining the link between specific management practices, employee performance and patient outcomes in hospitals. Methodology: This study was conducted between June 2014 and July 2015. We reviewed Western literature to benchmark Western experiences and informing researchers and decision-makers in the healthcare industry. Results: The study identified hospitals as human capital intensive healthcare sector that needs effective management practice to enhance quality of health care outcomes. It also identified variations of management practices, particularly operations management and HR practices. It has shown that bundles of HR practices are pivotal in enhancing the attitudes, skills and behaviors of health professionals for better performance in rendering quality health services to meet expectations of patients. The study identified that patient outcomes are the results of employee performance which in turn is influenced by management practices. Conclusions: Modern management practices are crucial for maintaining and sustaining health professionals' performance and improving quality of patient outcomes in hospitals. Thus, hospital managers should design and implement operations and HR management practices to improve health professionals’ performance, resulting in improved quality of care that satisfies patients.