Outsourcing in private healthcare organisations: a Greek perspective

Abstract

Purpose

The purpose of this paper is to present a study carried out to investigate the extent of outsourcing, the decision‐making process, the impact of outsourcing, and the future trend of outsourcing in private healthcare organisations in Greece.

Design/methodology/approach

A survey instrument was designed and mailed to a random sample of 100 private healthcare organisations in Greece. A total of 25 usable questionnaires were received, representing a response rate of 25 percent. The survey instrument focused on the extent to which private healthcare organisations outsource services, the decision‐making process for choosing an external service provider, the impact of outsourcing, and the future trend of outsourcing.

Findings

Private healthcare organisations in Greece outsource a variety of activities. Cost savings, customisation, and customer satisfaction are the main factors affecting the outsourcing decision. The cooperation with a contract service provider has led to an improvement in customer satisfaction and to a cost reduction. Most users are highly satisfied with the performance of these companies and believe that there will be a future increase in the usage of these services.

Practical implications

The paper provides a framework regarding outsourcing in private healthcare organisations.

Originality/value

This research fills the gap in the area of outsourcing in private healthcare organisations in Greece.

Citation

Moschuris, S.J. and Kondylis, M.N. (2007), "Outsourcing in private healthcare organisations: a Greek perspective", Journal of Health Organization and Management, Vol. 21 No. 2, pp. 220-223. https://doi.org/10.1108/14777260710736895