Human Resources Management Practices in Mali Hospitals: The Case of Gabriel Toure, Point-G and the Mali Hospital in 2023
Abstract:
Introduction: In a constantly evolving world where technological innovations go hand in hand with unfair competition, human resource management practices form the foundation of organizations. For many years, Malian hospitals have faced challenges in the area of human resource management. Objectif: In this context, this study aimed to compare the human resource management practices of Gabriel Touré Hospital, Point-G Hospital, and the Mali Hospital in order to highlight the practices that work and those that have shown their limitations.Methodology: A comparative cross-sectional study using a quantitative approach was conducted with 52 healthcare professionals, 64 support staff, and 93 patients. A structured questionnaire and a document analysis form were used for data collection. Results: The following practices, implemented to varying degrees in the three hospitals, were identified during the surveys: Overall, 56% of healthcare professionals do not have a job description or task sheet. Only 8% of the healthcare professionals surveyed reported that their compensation is "very motivating." Among support staff, 59% find their salaries unmotivating. No clearly defined training and professional development plan for healthcare staff is in place. Human resources managers struggle to develop skills. Monitoring and evaluation of healthcare professionals' training does not appear to be standard practice in these hospitals. Regarding staff mobility (arrivals and departures), 60% of healthcare professionals consider departures to be "frequent" or "very frequent." A slightly higher proportion (62%) makes the same observation regarding new arrivals. Overall, 73% of support staff see no promotion prospects in their hospitals. The results show that, overall, approximately 56% of healthcare professionals in the three hospitals are either not at all or only slightly satisfied with their work. The majority of respondents—75% of healthcare professionals and 64% of support staff—do not intend to continue working in these hospitals. According to the survey, 33% of healthcare staff in the hospitals believe that communication within these healthcare facilities is inadequate or completely inadequate. Overall, more than half of support staff (56%) report that a formal framework for communication with management exists in hospitals. Across all hospitals, the majority of professionals report the absence of a systematic mechanism for monitoring attendance and punctuality. Overall, 33% state that there is no performance appraisal practice in their current hospital or department. When conducted, the annual review, combined with another form of appraisal, constitutes the primary method of evaluation in these hospitals; specifically, 50%, 53%, and 27% in the Gabriel Touré University Hospital, the Mali Hospital, and the Point G University Hospital, respectively. On average, healthcare professionals were evaluated only once out of four (4) scheduled evaluations during the last 12 months, representing a rate of 19%. More than half of those surveyed stated that there was no performance monitoring of staff. In tertiary referral hospitals, more than 67% and 50% of healthcare professionals were unaware of the production of performance reports for civil servants and trainees, respectively. According to the results, the expressed capacity-building needs take various forms, including training, financial support, material and logistical support, and human resources. These needs vary from hospital to hospital. Union membership or membership in a professional association is not very common among healthcare professionals. Overall, 63.5% of them are not members of a union or professional association. Over the 12 months preceding the survey, healthcare professionals who were union or professional association members at the hospital observed, on average, two strikes and at least one other action (sabotage, march, sit-in, etc.) to demand better working conditions. Social dialogue is primarily managed formally; this is the case in 44% of instances within tertiary referral hospitals. The majority of support staff (52%) report that their concerns are not addressed by hospital management. In general, their needs are only partially met. According to 86.5% of professionals, the protection of vulnerable individuals is the primary method of implementing social action in their hospital. Conclusion: These results demonstrate that current human resource management practices in hospitals are largely inadequate and require improvement.
KeyWords:
Human resources management practice, University Hospital Center, Gabriel TOURE, Point-G, Mali Hospital.
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