Evaluating the Impact of Different Types of Strategic Alliance on Hospital Performance in Taiwan

Finally, there are total of 47 valid questionnaire collected. The response rate in approximately 37.0%. According to the results, there are several findings.

First of all,the most popular types of strategic alliance in sample hospitals are contracted inflectional material disposal and contracted linen services. Second, about half of the sample hospitals already implemented group purchase of medicine and other material. Third, group purchase of medicine and other material is the kind of strategic alliance which last longest in sample hospitals, more than 50% of sample hospitals have joined the group purchase for more than five years.

Fourth, in terms of subjective (perceived) performance, those hospital implemented strategic alliances doesn\'t have significantly influences on their financial performance. However, there are significantly influence on market share, customer satisfaction, hospital reputation, and improvement of staff work loading and personnel turnover rate. Fifth, those hospitalsimplemented \"contracted linen service\" and \"group purchase of medicine and other material\" has significant influences on hospitalization days per FTE (full-time equivalent) and outpatient visits per FTE.

However, for other types of hospital strategic alliances, there is no significant influence on the four indicators of hospital performance. Based on the research results, there are three suggestions for health care administrators. First, not all types of hospital strategic alliances are effective.

Second, the development of market environment should be pay attention while implement strategic alliances. Third, the long-term evaluation of performance of strategic alliances should is important. There are two suggestions for policy makers.

First, hospital strategic alliances should be encouraged. Second, the rules and standards of strategic alliances should be established. Finally, there are four suggestions for further researches.

First, some factors, such as organization culture and administrators\' leadership should be included in future research. Second, a longitudinal study is preferable. Third, it\'s better to include more hospitals, such as the small district hospitals in future research.

Fourth, more types of strategic alliances and their impacts on hospital performance can be steadied in future research.