Healthcare professionals’ views on patient-centered care in hospitals

Background: Patient-centered care (PCC) is a main determinant of care quality. Research has shown that PCC is a multi-dimensional concept, and organizations that provide PCC well report better patient and organizational outcomes. However, little is known about the relative importance of PCC dimensions. The aim of this study was therefore to investigate the relative importance of the eight dimensions of PCC according to hospital-based healthcare professionals, and examine whether their viewpoints are determined by context. Methods: Thirty-four healthcare professionals (16 from the geriatrics department, 15 from a surgical intensive care unit, 3 quality employees) working at a large teaching hospital in New York City were interviewed using Q methodology. Participants were asked to rank 35 statements representing eight dimensions of PCC extracted from the literature: patient preferences, physical comfort, coordination of care, emotional support, acce

Work–life programs and performance in Australian organisations: the role of organisation size and industry type

Organisations are increasingly using work–life programs to strategically manage their workforce in a competitive labour market. Extant research has investigated various outcomes of work–life programs but has lacked focus on organisational financial performance and context. Drawing on strategic human resource management theory, this study proposes and tests a work–life programs–performance relationship. It also investigates the moderating effects of organisation size and industry on the work–life programs–performance relationship. We used a time-lagged design and data from multiple sources to link work–life programs with firm performance in 117 organisations in Australia. The findings support the hypothesis that work–life programs are positively associated with financial performance. This study also provides pioneering evidence for the moderating effects of organisation size and industry type on the work–life programs–organisational performance relationship.</p