Corporate Social Responsibility is urgently needed in Health Care

Abstract

Health care is an essential need of the society and it is an integral part thereof. In this sense, everybody is entitled to medical services to provide health and well‐being that improves lifestyle. Policymakers and researchers focus substantial attention on hospitals and public spending of financial resources, because they recognise the political power and the general collective obligation of preserving a health care for the present and future generations. The empirical analysis used a sample based in the 31 corporate hospitals that belong to the Portuguese health care system as a National Health Service in the period 2002–2003. The disclosure of information allows comparability and identifies similarities between the hospitals in the sample. Relevant organizational variables were managed statistically through the multivariate analysis. The geographical analysis shows inequalities of the distribution of hospitals facilities in Portugal, with marked concentration in the urban coastal areas, affected by the number of persons that live there. The financial analysis is supported in the Portuguese Official Accounting Plan that follows the same accounting trend of corporations. So, the disclosure and the accountability system are not opened up to a new field for accounting in health care based in the Health Official Accounting Plan. The research shows implications at the operational level, the efficiency and the effectiveness of the health care strategy with differences between hospitals. The authors believe that, as complex organizations, hospitals must based their disclosure police in transparency to allow patients to identify their own orientations that should be driven mainly by corporate social responsibility as a public service and not by the economic perspective of a business. This research confirms that as a global strategy for the health care system, corporate social responsibility is urgently needed. As a finite resource, the health should demand a permanent attention from society, as well as the Government in accomplishment prevention and monitoring systems, with a view to the defence of a sustainable health care system. More than merely investing efforts in fighting for political changes, without any advantage for society it is crucial to invest in prevention of the quality of life as a basic requirement to honour the corporate social responsibility in hospitals. Especially needed are health care improvements and infrastructures. In summary, the health care system exists as a fundamental element that assures life and high standards of living, so it should be available to everybody and for everybody…

Citation

Abreu, R., David, F. and Crowther, D. (2005), "Corporate Social Responsibility is urgently needed in Health Care", Social Responsibility Journal, Vol. 1 No. 3/4, pp. 225-240. https://doi.org/10.1108/eb045813