Efficiency Losses in Healthcare Organizations Caused by Lack of Interpersonal Relationships

Abstract Despite all quality management and integration literature prescriptions to implement strategies for a better organizational performance, healthcare organizations support a model that is inefficient, expensive, and unsustainable over time. This work aims to examine the interpersonal relationships in three large hospitals located in Southern Brazil and its relation with organizational efficiency. Through a qualitative and explanatory research, semi-structured interviews were applied to 32 professionals, in addition to a document analysis. The data analysis shows that integration occurs at the formal leadership level only in one of the organizations and does not involve the medical and operational professionals. Quality management seems not to be fully incorporated into care routines, and are related to efficiency losses. This scenario is probably related to the lack of integration among the professionals and the consolidation of trust, leadership, and communication.