Allied health in the matrix: governance structures and workforce experience across two hospital eras

Abstract

Purpose This study contributes to international debates in health services management by examining how clinical matrix governance structures shape the workplace experiences of allied health professionals (AHPs) in public hospital bed-based services. Through a comparative analysis of two Australian hospital case studies conducted 26 years apart, it explores how and why governance tensions persist or evolve across institutional eras. Design/methodology/approach Two qualitative case studies with comparable methodologies and contexts were analyzed. Each involved semi-structured interviews with managers and senior clinical leaders across allied health, nursing, medicine and administrative domains. A cross-case comparative analysis assessed how changes in organizational structure shaped AHPs' experiences and perceptions of their work environments. Findings Sustaining a clinical matrix structure in acute and subacute hospital bed-based settings imposed complex governance demands that adversely impacted human resource management, operational requirements, budgetary control and professional morale among AHPs. These tensions were consistently associated with reduced job satisfaction and perceived inefficiencies. Research limitations/implications The research is 26 years apart, but not a true longitudinal study, but more of a comparison decades apart. One limitation is that the study was conducted with managers and leaders only and did not gain the perspectives of front-line clinical staff. Practical implications By comparing governance in specific environments across decades, this research provides hospital executives and policymakers with evidence-based insights into the risks and opportunities of clinical matrix structures for AHPs and offers actionable recommendations to enhance workforce sustainability, operational efficiency and patient care outcomes. Social implications The allied health workforce often feel less valued than medical and nursing, particularly during re-structures in which they are placed into design's that often do not meet their needs from a governance perspective, including their social identity needs such as professional identity. This is often disrupted and overlooked by administrators during organizational re-design processes. Originality/value Despite widespread adoption of matrix models, their long-term implications for allied health governance and workforce well-being remain underexplored. This study offers rare insight into how structural design affects AHPs' morale, coordination and professional voice, highlighting the need for governance models that better align with allied health's operational and professional requirements.