Accomplishing Water Strategy Policies in Hospitals: The Role of Management Information Systems and Managerial Styles

David Naranjo-Gil

doi:10.3390/w9020107

Abstract

Hospitals are using more sophisticated and comprehensive management information systems to implement multiple strategic policies towards water cost saving and water quality enhancement. However, they do not always achieve the intended strategic goals. This paper analyzes how managerial styles interact with sophisticated management information systems to achieve different water strategic priorities. How proactive vs. reactive managerial styles moderate the effects of management information systems on water cost saving and water quality enhancement is analyzed. Relationships are explored using data collected from 122 general services directors in Spanish public hospitals. The findings show a positive effect of sophisticated management information systems on the achievement of water policies focused on cost saving and quality enhancement. Results also show a different moderated effect of managerial styles; thus, sophisticated management information systems with a proactive managerial style facilitate managers to achieve better water quality policies rather than water cost saving policies.

Highlights

Hospitals are organizations that demand high amounts of water for their daily operations.Hospitals are among the facilities with the highest water use intensity, with about 1000 L of water per bed per day on average, which is more than water use at schools and offices, but less than at hotels and senior care facilities
These results show support for hypothesis 1, which asserted that sophisticated management information systems would facilitate the simultaneous adoption of strategic policies towards water cost saving and water quality enhancement
The results show that hospitals that want to achieve strategic policies focused on both water cost saving and water quality enhancement should encourage general service directors to adopt proactive managerial styles and sophisticated management information systems

Summary

Introduction

Hospitals are organizations that demand high amounts of water for their daily operations.Hospitals are among the facilities with the highest water use intensity, with about 1000 L of water per bed per day on average, which is more than water use at schools and offices, but less than at hotels and senior care facilities. Hospitals are organizations that demand high amounts of water for their daily operations. Many hospitals do not have an asset management for water system and for planning replacements, such as pipes and valves [1,2]. These inefficiencies could lead to wastage of valuable resources and money. Are cost saving policies important for hospitals, but water quality assessments and improvements are important. Good water quality in daily hospital operations is crucial to ensure the best patient care, and the well-being of the hospitals’

Methods

Results

Conclusion