Enhancing the efficiency of public administration in the healthcare sector at the regional level

Abstract

The relevance of this study is determined by the need to improve the efficiency of public administration in the healthcare sector at the regional level amid healthcare reform, decentralisation, and increasing socio-economic and security challenges. These issues are particularly significant for Chernivtsi Oblast, whose regional characteristics—including its border location, the presence of mountainous and remote areas, uneven population distribution, and intensive migration processes—have a direct impact on the accessibility and quality of healthcare services. The aim of the article is to substantiate directions for improving public policy and to develop practical recommendations for enhancing the efficiency of healthcare governance in Chernivtsi Oblast. The study employs a combination of systems, structural-functional, comparative, analytical, and logical methods, enabling a comprehensive assessment of the current state of the regional healthcare system, the identification of its key challenges, and the formulation of measures to improve public administration. The findings indicate that the region faces several major challenges, including spatial and logistical disparities in the distribution of healthcare facilities, the concentration of specialised medical services in the regional centre, shortages and uneven distribution of healthcare professionals, limited financial capacity of small healthcare institutions, technological and digital inequalities between urban and remote communities, and insufficient analytical capacity within regional public authorities. Based on the findings, the study proposes a comprehensive set of managerial, organisational, and human resource measures aimed at improving the effectiveness of healthcare governance. Managerial recommendations include strengthening strategic planning, introducing key performance indicators (KPIs), enhancing regional analytical capacity, improving financial management mechanisms, and increasing preparedness for crisis situations. Organisational measures focus on optimising the network of healthcare institutions, modernising primary healthcare, expanding telemedicine and mobile healthcare services, improving laboratory and diagnostic infrastructure, and integrating public health programmes. In the area of human resource management, the study substantiates the need to implement comprehensive programmes for attracting and retaining healthcare professionals, promote continuous professional development, introduce targeted training for specialists serving remote communities, strengthen mentoring practices, and establish a personnel reserve for emergency situations. The study concludes that improving the efficiency of public administration in the healthcare sector of Chernivtsi Oblast requires a comprehensive approach that combines strategic, organisational, financial, digital, and human resource mechanisms. The implementation of the proposed measures will contribute to improving the accessibility and quality of healthcare services, reducing territorial disparities, strengthening human resource capacity, increasing the efficiency of resource utilisation, and building a resilient regional healthcare system capable of adapting to contemporary crisis challenges.