Growth and competitive strategies in private hospitals: A case of Ankara

Considering the importance of health care, increasing need for service and the size of the sector in our country, the management of health organizations is important. However, the health care and health care service marketplace differs significantly from the other services and the markets, and this privilege necessitates the effective and efficient management of hospitals with health care organizations. In this study, it is aimed to examine the growth and competitive strategies applied by private hospitals, which are profit-oriented health service provider, and to determine the effects on the cost, quality and financial performance of the hospital. The research was carried out for all private hospitals in Ankara and included senior and mid-level managers working in these hospitals. The data obtained from 183 managers working in 37 private hospitals in Ankara, including the private hospital owner/partner, were evaluated with the structural equation model (SEM). As a result of the research, it was seen that the financial performance was directly and positively affected by the quality and cost performance of the hospital as a pure independent variable. In addition, while the growth strategies implemented by private hospitals affect the financial and cost performance of the hospital, the competitive strategies preferred by the hospital have an explanatory, direct and positive impact on the quality performance of the hospital.