The interplay between research and care: Performance management in hospitals with scientific purpose in Italy

Research hospitals are healthcare organizations that deal with clinical treatment and innovative research. While performance frameworks across healthcare settings have been debated by academic and practitioner literature, little has been researched about the relationships between performance management and the dual nature of such organizations. By adopting a multiple case study methodology, this paper broadens the knowledge on the role played by the dual nature of research hospitals in influencing the development of performance management systems, particularly the selection of performance measures. The research focuses on three Italian Scientific Institutes for Research, Hospitalization, and Healthcare (IRCCS) that have different specializations, sizes, and geography. Findings indicate that the twofold mission of such institutions influences performance management frameworks, but not homogeneously, since it may be influenced by their history.