Analysis of Post-Pandemic Outsourcing Practices in Dubai Healthcare Sector

Abstract

One of the strategies of healthcare service providers to deal with current challenges is outsourcing some operations. The key stakeholders of healthcare sectors are government, patients, healthcare sector staff, suppliers, and outsourcing firms. The Healthcare service providers and governments are found in favor of outsourcing, but on the other hand, the three groups of stakeholders are showing varying degrees of dissatisfaction with outsourcing options. The lack of enough alignment among the interests of various stakeholder groups is reducing the chances of success of outsourcing practices in Dubai’s healthcare sector. The research objective is to analyze the types, benefits, and challenges of outsourcing in Dubai’s healthcare sector, in order to propose an effective outsourcing model. The Mixed method approach was used to explore the conceptual framework and to propose hypotheses. The data was collected through questionnaires and interviews. The survey data was collected from 252 respondents. Three semi-structured interviews were conducted with senior leadership of the hospital, an official in the Ministry of Health, and a patient with longer treatment history. The study proposes that the business arrangements with outsourcing companies should be carefully finalized so that the interests of key stakeholders are addressed. The role of leadership is important in protecting the stakeholders’ interests. Hospital management can influence the three stages, first when pre-qualifications of outsourcing firms are undertaken, second when the contract is written, and third at the stage of final decision grating contract to the shortlisted firms. The stakeholder analysis process must be completed before taking the outsourcing firm on board.