Does psychological empowerment mediate the relationship between high performance work systems and patient care quality in hospitals?

Abstract

This study investigates the mediation effects of the four components of psychological empowerment on the relationship between high performance work systems (HPWS) and perceptions of patient care quality among hospital employees. To test this relationship 541 hospital employees in a large regional Australian health service were surveyed. Regression analysis findings demonstrated that psychological empowerment fully mediated the relationship between HPWS and the perception of the quality of patient care. Three of the four individual components of psychological empowerment - autonomy, competence and meaning - fully mediated the relationship between HPWS and the perception of quality of care; the fourth - impact - was non-significant. This study demonstrates the need to recognise that the quality of patient care is influenced not only by clinicians but also by allowing all hospital employees to exercise concern through their work. Healthcare managers need to focus on ensuring HRM strategy, policy and processes support the implementation of HPWS at the unit level.