The healthcare professionals, other than physicians, are nowadays considered fundamental in the delivery of healthcare services efficiently and effectively in hospitals. In particular, they are more and more involved in organisational and administrative decision, with responsibility over budget, consumption, other than quality of materials.
The healthcare professionals would augment their autonomy and discretion acting as boundary-spanning (Fitzgerald, Dufour, 1996). In so doing, it becomes possible to reduce the level of tension and conflict between the management and the physician.
However, the literature lacks of specific studies devoted to the understanding of the managerial role of such professionals in hospital (De Pietro, 2006). The aim of this paper to shed some light on the level of autonomy/responsibility of professionals and their involvement in the organisational and administrative processes.
The result may support theoretical reflections for further studies on the topic, but also the practical reflections on the training and organisational pattern in hospital.