Social responsibility of hospitals: an Indian context

Purpose - The purpose of this paper is to explore the perceived responsibilities of five not-for-profit hospitals in Bangalore, India, towards society. Design/methodology/approach - The method used is qualitative design with some quantitative elements. Data were collected through a survey of 79 physicians and 104 managers and other stakeholders of the hospitals. Findings - The analysis reveals the existence of highly significant differences in the perception about workplace responsibilities between the doctors and other stakeholders. It also highlights the importance of top management involvement with various stakeholders in effectively carrying out the overall social responsibilities of the hospitals. It was found that the hospitals must take into account the social, cultural and financial characteristics of the patients while fulfilling societal obligations. Training needs, environmental impact audit and encouragement for employees to join local voluntary organizations are the immediate needs for improving the CSR activities of the hospitals. Research limitations/implications - The study had a small sample and referred only to the perceptions of physicians/management personnel. Further studies should be done with larger samples, comparing different cohorts of stakeholders and, more importantly, patients/their carers. Practical implications - The study draws attention to issues that emerge from the social responsibilities of healthcare organizations. Its findings provide new insights into the meaning of social responsibility in the healthcare sector in an Indian context from a stakeholder perspective. Originality/value - The paper is based on an original study that addresses the current gap in the understanding of issues related to social responsibility by the various stakeholders of hospitals. It is particularly valuable for both the internal and external stakeholders of the healthcare organizations.