Associations Among Organizational Capabilities, Organizational Performance and the Medical Alliance Implementation Effect in Community Health Centers in China: A Moderated Mediation Model

PURPOSE: Community health centers (CHCs) are an important part of the healthcare system worldwide. Based on the dual process model of organizational capabilities, this study explores the relationship between organizational capabilities and the organizational performance of CHCs, as well as the role played by the medical alliance implementation effect. METHODS: In this study, whole-group sampling was used to extract CHCs. All 135 CHCs in 8 of 16 districts of Beijing were selected as subjects. The organizational capabilities of the CHCs and the medical alliance implementation effect were evaluated using a questionnaire survey of 1957 managers and 3622 medical staff, respectively. A pathway analysis of the mediating role of the organizational capabilities of CHCs and the moderating role of the medical alliance implementation effect was conducted using Mplus 8.0. RESULTS: The development capabilities had a positive impact on basic capabilities (β = 0.878, P < 0.001), and core capabilities (β = 0.952, P < 0.001), but had no direct impact on organizational performance. Basic capabilities positively affected organizational performance (β = 1.163, P < 0.001), and core capabilities negatively affected organizational performance (β =- 0.886, P = 0.004). Both basic capabilities (β =1.022, P < 0.001) and core capabilities (β =- 0.843, P = 0.005) played a mediating role in the relationship between development capabilities and organizational performance. The moderating role of the medical alliance implementation effect was not significant. CONCLUSION: This study found that strengthening the organizational capabilities of CHCs can effectively improve their performance, with the development of basic capabilities being a primary concern. The medical alliance implementation effect has not had a significant impact on organizational performance, and the cooperation between CHCs and high-level hospitals should be further promoted to give full play to the medical alliance’s role and improve the organizational performance of CHCs.