Self management Hospitals in the Health Public network of Chile: reaches and restrictions of their law

Abstract

In Chile, the Health Authority law Nº 19.937 of 2004 established self management of hospitals as a desirable option. The goal was to have all the high complexity hospitals (59) working under these conditions by January, 2010. An Analysis of the contents of law 19.937 is presented. Some difficulties for its implementation are pointed out, as for example: a lack of alignment between incentives and goals, agency problems and cooperative government problems. Some critical points for self management of hospitals are identified.