People management in public and private hospital care

Abstract

Objective: to identify characteristics of the people management model used in hospitals. Methods: a case study developed in the first semester of 2024 in three hospitals, of which two were private and one was public, in the interior of the state of Mato Grosso, MT, Brazil, through semi-structured individual interviews with key informants. Data interpretation was done through thematic analysis. Results: four people managers were interviewed. From these interviews, three categories emerged: People management in hospitals; Weakness of the people management model; and Required skills and perceived challenges. The focus was on the roles of infrastructure management with deficiencies of function requirements, difficulties in aligning recruitment and selection by skills, with the process being easier in the private sector. Empathy and humanization were pointed out in one hospital as the pillar of selection. A management model was not clear in private hospitals. A plurality of forms of bonds was perceived in the public hospital. Of the required skills, knowledge about management and the ability to deal with people were mentioned. The challenges lie in the selection process and the acceptance of professionals for employment, in addition to conflict management and the relationship between public and private labor markets. Conclusion: the area of human resources management in hospital organizations needs to reflect on its role with employees, as it is directly involved in the quality of services provided.