Brilliant health service management: challenging perceptions and changing HR practices in health services

Abstract

To redress the scholarly preoccupation with problems, there is a need to focus on practices that exceed expectation. This study is the first to explicate healthcare professionals’ perceptions of brilliance within their health service. Via online discussions, 78 postgraduate health management students from an Australian university shared their experiences with, and perceptions of brilliant health services in their organisation. Researchers thematically analysed the text and workshopped the findings to extend current understandings of human resource management using positive organisational scholarship in health‐care (POSH). Preliminary codes organised well into six key themes – teamwork, leadership, innovation, exceptional individuals, empowerment and patient‐centred care. Although the results reflect health service management research, POSH helped to clarify those aspects of people management that are associated with brilliant health services. These include developing interagency networks; adopting an understanding of innovation; and recognising the extraordinary in the seemingly ordinary.