Entrepreneurship in the healthcare sector in the Democratic Republic of Congo: managerial determinants of the level of activity in private healthcare facilities in the N’sele health zone, Kinshasa

Background Since the 1980’s, the state has opened up the healthcare sector to private investors, which has encouraged the emergence of health training institutions, resulting in the creation of private healthcare establishments (Etablissements de soins et services de santé - ESS). Methods The aim of this study was to investigate the managerial factors of private entrepreneurship in healthcare that determine the level of activity of healthcare ESS. Econometric and statistical analysis was used to measure the relationship between the entrepreneur’s profile and that of the ESS, on the one hand, and the latter’s level of activity, on the other. This was an analytical cross-sectional study conducted in 57 first-contact private ESS in the N’sele ZS. Results Each of the activity indicators was associated with bed capacity and occupancy rate; then, the number of beds per nurse and per doctor were associated with the average length of stay in the ESS and also with the share of stay in minor surgery; finally, the presence of an emergency department was associated with the share of stay in internal medicine. Conclusions There is a relationship between bed utilization and capacity in private ESS, on the one hand, and the level of activity in private ESS in urban-rural areas, on the other. It also shows that the efficient organization of production factors influences the level of ESS activity.