Change drivers of healthcare governance

Authors

• Kari Lappalainen Doctoral student at University of Vaasa(Administrative Sciences)

DOI: https://doi.org/10.23996/fjhw.65423

Keywords:

reform, networks, competition, freedom of choice, innovation

Abstract

The healthcare systems of the welfare societies are subjected economic, social and technology pressures, which further emphasize the role of healthcare in societies. Simultaneously the progress leads to the gradual move to the more integrated ecosystems, where the flow of information and transparency between the participants are recognized as a denominator of creative productivity.

The citizens of the European countries are more and more categorized as the healthcare consumers, which have both rights and obligations. The need for constant re-evaluation of traditional public governance is obvious. The change has become a permanent condition, which is increasingly guided by international impacts. The mechanisms of creativity and self-management are seen as key success factors in healthcare. The need for a new kind of leadership culture has been identified. The management systems supported by theories seek to explain and provide frameworks for the organizations’ continuous improvement. The new hybrids of public and private sectors, are representing a new model of governance. The aim of the article is to describe the main change drivers of healthcare. The research was carried out through an international literature review. The Theory of Creative Governance is the theoretical framework of the study. The study deepens our understanding of the key change drivers of healthcare, such as efficiency requires better integration of value networks, the increasing competition through freedom of choice, and the new opportunities for information technology. The common drivers of change seem to get their strength out of the growing economic position of the healthcare industry and the needs to reform the governance of the personnel-intensive healthcare. The study strengthened the assumptions of the theoretical governance framework for the strategic, operational and innovation management of healthcare. The harmonization of the laws and practices in different countries means, that the theory of Creative Governance is applicable also internationally.