The influence of operational flexibility on hospital performance results: a structural equation modelling (SEM) approaches

The main objective of this study is to examine the relationship between the operational flexibility and the hospital performance in Jordanian accredited hospitals employing structural equation modelling (SEM) approaches. The design and methodology approach - a model consisting of two dimensional flexibility structures: 1) external flexibility; 2) internal robustness to measure operational flexibility elements in Jordanian hospitals, whereas, a four-dimensional measurement scale was employed to assess the hospital performance elements. The hospital performance indicators are to assess the patients' medical results, staff and work system results, hospitals' efficiency and effectiveness results as well as the operational flexibility performance. The relevant respondents are the medical leaders (managers, heads of departments, senior officers, supervisors and residency doctors) who work in two accredited hospitals in Jordan. The findings suggest that the model of Jordanian hospitals consists of two latent operational flexibility dimensions while the hospitals' performance consists of four dimensions. A positive relationship was noted between the operational flexibility and the hospital performance. The two dimensions of operational flexibility and the four dimensions of hospital performance represent a valid instrument to measure the relationship between the total quality management and operational flexibility in Jordanian accredited hospitals.