Introduction
Since the 1990s, French hospitals have undergone extensive reforms aimed
at addressing financial concerns, enhancing coordination among
professionals, and improving the quality of care1.
However, the restructuring process has been challenging due to the
unique structural and cultural characteristics of hospitals, which
comprise various types of professionals and compartmentalized
activities2. The social aspect is a crucial component
of the organizational transformation process 3.
Recently, the French National Audit Office reported that the reforms
aimed at modernizing and transforming the healthcare system have
struggled to overcome the compartmentalization of organizations,
particularly between sectors of activity and the prerogatives of each
profession. Moreover, during the recent health crisis, the obstacles to
intra- and inter-organizational collaboration and transformation were
removed in favor of adapting the organization and operating methods of
the hospital4,5,6. It appears that hospital strategies
have been developed in the field rather than in regulatory institutions
through ongoing interactions between professionals and the
environment7.
Given these circumstances, it is essential to draw lessons from the
recent health crisis and view it as an opportunity for organizational
learning8. Therefore, the primary focus of our
research is to examine the internal and external interactional
mechanisms involved in the dynamics of organizational transformations
within hospitals. Our central research question is: What are the
internal and external interactional mechanisms involved in the dynamics
of organizational transformations in hospitals?
In this article, we commence by delving into the theoretical
underpinnings of our research, centering on the notion of organizational
transformation through the lens of structuration theory. Subsequently,
the research methodology is explicated in the second section, followed
by an exposition of the findings in the third section. Lastly, we
conclude with a critical reflection on the implications, limitations,
and future avenues for this study.