HUMAN RESOURCE PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN LAMU COUNTY, KENYA
HUMAN RESOURCE PRACTICES AND PERFORMANCE OF PUBLIC HOSPITALS IN LAMU COUNTY, KENYA
John Mburu Kimani - Student, Master of Arts in Public Policy And Administration, Kenyatta University, Kenya
Peter Phillip Wambua - Lecturer, Department of Business Administration, School of Business, Economics and Tourism, Kenyatta University, Kenya
ABSTRACT
The high labor shortage in the health care sector is demonstrated by the 1.69/1000 health services provider-to-population ratio across all health care tiers. There is not a single medical facility in Lamu County that received a quality of care service delivery score higher than 60%. The current study aimed to explore the effect of human resource practices on performance of public hospitals in Lamu County, Kenya. The research aimed to explore effect of decision-making practices and communication level on public hospitals in Lamu County, Kenya. A mixed method research design was used for this study in order to gather both qualitative and quantitative data. The study focused on 329 workers who are working at public hospitals in Lamu County. A total of 167 respondents were chosen using stratified sampling procedures. The required sample size was determined using the Yamane formula and a 95% level of confidence. The primary data collection was done through the utilization of open-ended and close-ended questionnaires. Both quantitative and qualitative data was gathered. Statistical Package for Social Science (SPSS version 26) was employed to analyze quantitative data in descriptively and inferentially. The analyzed data was presented through frequency tables, and charts. Qualitative data was analyzed thematically and displayed in narrative and prose form. The results showed that the study factors had a considerable impact on the performance of public hospitals. This suggests that the independent variables; decision-making practices and communication level explained differences in the dependent variable. The research remarked that decision-making practices and communication level, positively affect the performance of public hospitals in Lamu County. The study recommends that hospital management should invest in communication infrastructure, such as electronic communication platforms and patient portals, to facilitate seamless information exchange among healthcare teams and with patients. Moreover, training programs should focus on improving communication skills among healthcare professionals, emphasizing active listening, empathy, and cultural sensitivity.
