Effects of Organizational Structure on Management of Public Hospitals in St. Vincent and the Grenadines

Abstract

This study explored the effects of organizational structure on the management of hospitals in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The study sought to answer the question: What effects does the existing organizational structure have on the management of hospitals in St. Vincent and the Grenadines? The study took a qualitative approach. The participants consisted of a purposively selected sample of forty-five (45) top level and senior managers in the health care system, assigned to the four public hospitals on the island of St. Vincent and managers within the administrative arm of the Ministry of Health, Wellness and the Environment in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. The findings revealed that poor problem-solving strategies and the lack of or inadequate input from middle managers as it relates to operations of the organization were some of the ways in which the existing organizational structure affected hospital management. The results also highlighted challenges which included inadequate communication, poor distribution, and management of resources as well as poorly defined and inflexible roles. Lack of support from top level managers, contradictory decisions made by the managers and poor accountability measures, were also stated as challenges of the existing structure. The results of this study have informed the conclusion that the organizational structure of Hospital Services impacts performance, prompting a call for review of the existing organizational structure of hospital services in St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Keywords: Hospital services, Management, Organizational structure, public hospitals.