Objective: To determine the level of managers' propensity for outsourcing the services in hospitals using decision-making matrix.
Methods: The applied, cross-sectional study was conducted at three hospitals affiliated to Bandar Abbas University of Medical Sciences, Iran, in 2013, and comprised managers and employees of four service units: radiology, laboratory, nursing, and nutrition services. Data was collected using two questionnaires and face-to-face interviews. Data was analysed using SPSS 16 and by using decision-making matrix.
Results: Of the 122 subjects in the study, 12(9.8%) were managers and 110(90.2%) were other employees. The highest and lowest propensities for outsourcing were related to nutrition (66.6%) and nursing services one (8.33%). The decision-making matrix showed low outsourcing of the nursing, radiology, and laboratory services based on the services' features. However, there were difference between the results obtained from laboratory service decision-making matrix and the propensity for laboratory service outsourcing.
Conclusions: The difference between the results obtained from the matrix and managers' viewpoint can be due to the lack of managers' sufficient attention to the features of hospital services when making decisions on outsourcing them.
Keywords: Outsourcing, Service features, Propensity for outsourcing services..