Workplace Factors, ‘Met Expectations’ of Healthcare Professionals and Quality of Patient Care in Indian Hospitals

Public hospitals in India function with scarce resources hence conditions at the workplace play a primary and important role in meeting the expectations of medical professionals. The present study has been conducted with the aim of examining the mediating role of ‘met expectations' of healthcare professionals in determining the relationship between certain contextual workplace factors and the quality of patient care in teaching and non-teaching hospitals in India. The study has utilized questionnaire methodology and random sampling technique for a sample of 300 medical professionals in regular employment in teaching (N=150) and non-teaching (N=150) hospitals ranging from physicians, laboratory personnel and nursing staff. Correlation and hierarchical regression analysis in both types of hospitals have shown that the workplace factors, participation in decision making', ‘innovative practices', perceived organizational support and role efficacy have a significantly positive relationship with the quality of patient care. Met expectations' of participants, which have a highly positive relationship with quality of patient care, have also significantly mediated the relationship between the workplace factor ‘perceived organizational support' and quality of patient care in both types of hospitals. Findings emphasize the need for Indian public hospitals to re-define their human resource policies and work practices in order to ensure supportive working conditions for their workforce that will ultimately enhance the quality of patient care.