1. Introduction
Both theory and practice increasingly point to innovation as an important factor in the development. At the same time research on the determinants of innovation emphasize the importance of organizational culture in creating a climate for innovation. These statements are becoming increasingly important to all organizations including hospitals, which in spite of its audience are even forced to develop the capacity for innovation. Thus, in the context of successful innovation in strategy, technology, work methods, a detailed analysis of the values, beliefs and behaviors of organizational (corporate culture) is required. It is important to know what types of organizational culture are to stimulate openness to change, a
higher degree of risk taking and incentives for creative activity. It should be stressed out that this problem is not sufficiently present in studies conducted both in Poland and in the world, including in relation to the public sector. Meanwhile, access to innovation is crucial for the success in the implementation of changes in the management of modern organizations, particularly public hospitals, which for almost 20 years are undergoing constant transformation processes. The purpose of the article was to examine the relationship between organizational culture and the level of innovation in Polish hospitals. The study was conducted in the third quarter of 2014, among medical staff (doctors and nurses), based on the research questionnaire.