The role of professional elites in healthcare governance: Exploring the work of the medical director
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- 2021 Professional elites
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DOI
Medical leaders occupy a prominent position in healthcare policy in many countries, both in terms of the governance of quality and safety within healthcare organisations, and in broader system-wide governance. There is evidence that having doctors on hospital boards is associated with higher quality services. What is not known is how they have this effect. Analysing data collected from observations, interviews and documents from 15 healthcare providers in England (2014-2019), we elaborate the role of medical directors in healthcare governance as 'translation work', 'diplomatic work', and 'repair work'. Our study highlights the often enduring emotional effects of repeated structural changes to clinical services. It also contributes to theories of professional restratification, showing the work of medical directors as regional 'political elites', and as 'corporate elites' in publicly-funded healthcare systems.
Keywords
- Delivery of Health Care, England, Health Policy, Hospitals, Humans, Physician Executives
Original language | English |
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Article number | 113882 |
Journal | Social Science and Medicine |
Volume | 277 |
Early online date | 26 Mar 2021 |
DOIs | |
Publication status | Published - May 2021 |