Resumen

OCHOA HENRIQUEZ, Haydée; RINCON BECERRA, María T  y  HENRIQUEZ, Deyanira. Decentralization and Health Management in the Carabobo State Governor’s Office. Revista de Ciencias Sociales [online]. 2005, vol.11, n.3, pp.439-463. ISSN 1315-9518.

Abstract Due to the decentralization of the health sector initiated in Venezuela in the 1990s, state governments assumed this function, adopting various management styles. This paper explores the management of health in the Carabobo State Governors Office between 1994 and 2004. The process was based on the supposition that populist bureaucratic practices which characterized central government management were replaced by technocratic practices. As study samples an ambulatory unit administered by the Carabobo Health Foundation Institute and a hospital administered through a foundation were selected. The research was based on documentary analysis and semi-structured interviews of key informants. The results revealed that regional governments: 1) received very low level health indicators, 2) the decision-making structure concentrated power in the governors office, 3) there tended to be a reduction of personnel and increased labor flexibility, 4) work process controls and results related to the reduction of labor costs were combined, without citizen participation, 5) the services offered by health centers have improved. The conclusion affirms that a technocratic management of health violates constitutional principles and favors exclusion

Palabras clave : Components of health management; decentralization; state governors’ office; management styles.