Qualitative analysis of Autonomization of teaching hospitals of Punjab: A case study of Jinnah Hospital Lahore

Abstract

This study aims at evaluating the nature and extent of autonomy in the areas of hospital financial management and procurement. Autonomy in financial management refers to the freedom to generate resources for the running of the hospital, and the proper planning, accounting, and allocation of these resources; and autonomy in procurement refers to making all the decisions regarding purchase of drugs, medical and non-medical hospital supplies, and hospital equipment. The population of this study consists of all the medical and non-medical staff of Jinnah Hospital, Lahore (JHL). In this research design, JHL is selected as a single case and then multiple sub units of analysis are selected from the top level management of Jinnah Hospital Lahore to get information about the nature and extent of autonomy granted to hospital in the said areas. In this way, 14 top level medical and non-medical staff members of JHL were interviewed. The findings of this study show that autonomous hospital is not independent in making its decisions in the matters of financial management and procurement. Most of the decisions concerning financial management and procurement of the autonomous hospital are taken after the approval from the finance and health department.

Key Words: autonomous public hospital, health reforms, nature of autonomy, extent of autonomy, Jinnah Hospital Lahore, Punjab