Actors in the transformation process of hospitals into joint stock companies in the Slovak Republic (2010-2011)

This thesis is focused on the transformation of hospitals into joint stock companies from 2010 to the end of 2011. It is primarily aimed at actors, their actions, positions, attitudes and interests in this process. Furthermore, it is concerned with the question of the public vs. private interests in terms of health protection, ensuring the availability and quality of healthcare. The transformation process of hospitals and the position of actors is explained by the combination of economic and public policy theory - neoliberalism, economic globalization, New Public Management and Advocacy Coalition Framework. We explain actions, attitudes and interests of actors in the transformation process of hospitals by using research methods such as an analysis of selected events in health care and research of actors' actions. These research methods are based on different methods of data collecting such as semi-structured and informal interviews, a questionnaire survey and the study of secondary sources. The main aim of this thesis is an analysis of the transformation process of hospitals into joint stock companies in context of selected events in health policy, with a focus on research of actors' actions, attitudes and interests in this process. Keywords hospitals, transformation, actors, joint stock company,..