For better or worse

Governing healthcare organisations in times of financial distress

Bibliographic Data

ID2250328
AuthorsT Van Dijk (0000-0003-3338-2570, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management Erasmus University Rotterdam Rotterdam The Netherlands, corresponding author), Martijn Felder (0000-0003-4906-9933, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management Erasmus University Rotterdam Rotterdam The Netherlands), Richard T J M Janssen (0000-0003-1032-7501, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management Erasmus University Rotterdam Rotterdam The Netherlands), Wilma Van Der Scheer (0000-0002-7910-5838, Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management Erasmus University Rotterdam Rotterdam The Netherlands)
Year2024
Volume46
Issue5
Pages926-947
Publication date2024-06-01
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueSociology of Health & Illness (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0141-9889 • E-ISSN: 1467-9566
PublisherWiley (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1111/1467-9566.13744
PMID38153907
OpenAlexW4390333711
LanguageEN
Citations received3
References cited70

Due to processes of financialisation, financial parties increasingly penetrate the healthcare domain and determine under which conditions care is delivered. Their influence becomes especially visible when healthcare organisations face financial distress. By zooming-in on two of such cases, we come to know more about the considerations, motives and actions of financial parties in healthcare. In this research, we were able to examine the social dynamics between healthcare executives, banks and health insurers involved in a Dutch hospital and mental healthcare organisation on the verge of bankruptcy. Informed by interviews, document analysis and translation theory, we reconstructed the motives and strategies of executives, banks and health insurers and show how they play a crucial role in decision-making processes surrounding the survival or downfall of healthcare organisations. While parties are bound by legislation and company procedures, the outcome of financial distress can still be influenced. Much depends on how executives are perceived by financial stakeholders and how they deal with threats of destabilisation of the network. We further draw attention to the consequences of financialisation processes on the practices of healthcare organisations in financial distress

Bankruptcy · Business · Distress · Face (sociological concept · Financial distress · Financial system · Health care · Legislation · Political science · Public relations · Sociology · Finance · Healthcare innovation and challenges · Housing, Finance, and Neoliberalism · Law · Political and Economic history of UK and US · Psychology

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