Framing sustainable development through descriptive determinants in private hospitals - Orientation and organization

Abstract

Purpose: To frame the sustainable development in private hospitals, based on descriptive determinants of orientation and organization from the past to the present.

Design/methodology/approach: Based on an inductive approach, judgmental sampling was used to target relevant health care organizations. Informants were assessed according to their knowledge of their organizations' sustainability initiatives.

Findings: Report the main determinants of orientation and organization revealed in relation to the hospitals' past and present sustainability initiatives, providing a foundation for describing their sustainable development.

Research limitations/implications: Reveals a selection of descriptive determinants of sustainable development in private hospitals, all of which offers a basis for assessing whether the evolution of organizational sustainability initiatives is major, minor or non-existent.

Managerial implications: The sustainability orientation has changed from value-based initiatives to business-based ones. It has also resulted in the orientation changing from environmental initiatives to social ones, as well as a change from reactive initiatives to proactive ones.

Originality/value: Contributes to framing sustainable development through descriptive determinants in private healthcare organizations. It also divides these determinants into two categories, namely the orientation and organization of sustainability initiatives.

Keywords: Health care; Spain; Sustainable development.