Relações de poder em um hospital universitário: uma leitura em Mintzberg

Abstract

INTRODUCTION: This study aimed to analyze the power relations among managers of a university hospital in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil. Mintzberg's Theory of Organizational Power was used as a theoretical reference. The complexity that develops in hospital organizations requires the healthcare manager to be able to create a dynamic work environment and inspire the team to achieve the organization's goals and objectives. OBJECTIVE: To analyze how power relations are configured among managers of service production units of a University Hospital. METHODOLOGY: This is a descriptive-exploratory study, with a qualitative approach, whose method was the case study, which consists of a comprehensive empirical research, which investigates a contemporary phenomenon in its context. Data collection occurred through semi- structured interviews in February and March 2022. The data were systematized and interpreted using the Content Analysis proposed by Bardin. The project was approved by the Ethics in Research Committee under Opinion No. 4.562.421 of February 26, 2021. Nine professionals who act as managers in the units that make up the health care management of the hospital participated in the study, as they have competencies with respect to coordinating the planning, organization, and administration of management and care services. RESULTS: The findings demonstrate that the configuration of instrument power, autocracy, meritocracy, and political arena predominates. They contributed to understanding the various faces of power in the university hospital, highlighting that the hierarchical structure presents the distribution of power vertically, from top to bottom. It was also observed that the presence of political issues can significantly influence the decision-making process, the presence of conflicts and the preponderance of power of the position of physician and the functional insertion of the UFBA. FINAL CONSIDERATIONS: The study revealed the importance of understanding power relations as an influential factor in organizational development. The conscious decentralization of power gives way to more strategic professional relationships for the benefit of the organization and those involved, consequently improving the quality of services offered to users. As a contribution, it is expected to stimulate further research, with a view to deepening the knowledge about organizational dynamics in the hospital context and health management.