Fourteen Years of Business Administration Practices in Health Management: The Portuguese Experience

Abstract

The health management reforms, since the creation of the National Health Service, were aimed tho maximizing efficiency and productivity in hospitals to promote more sustentability for the health sector. The health systems had high costs and difficulties in maintaining an adequate cost control. Based on four management experiences and integrating the administrative perspective of the New Public Management, in 2002 it began a new health care reform with the adoption of a corporate management by portuguese public hospitals. This implementation was gradual and occurred over the past few years. In 2016 some hospitals don´t have enterprised management. This review article presents features and details in each phase of the portuguese experience with the implementation of private / business management practices in public hospitals, between 2002 and 2016.