Robin Cale
YesterdayOct 25 at 7:52pm
The need for health administrators and/or managers is going to continue to expand as the health care system expands as well. To be able to successfully manage others, it takes someone with a certain skill set, certain knowledge, and certain abilities. Some people in the management position have a bachelor’s degree, while some continued their education and got further training, earning their master’s degree. Some of the courses provided not only focus on the business aspect, like accounting, marketing, and computer literacy, but also focus on the health care specific aspects, like epidemiology, introduction to public health and legal and ethical issues in health care. While education is an important part of being able to take on this role, there are other skills and abilities that will benefit a person who wants to move forward and take on management responsibility.
To be a good manager you need to have good leadership skills, interpersonal and communication skills, and must also have the desire to further your education. “Although leadership has always been at the forefront of people’s minds when they think of managers, changes in populations, including the aging baby boomers, and ethical dilemmas are growing parts of the landscape of healthcare delivery.” (Buchbinder & Thompson, 2010) Being a good leader means you not only want to achieve what’s best for the facility you are working at, but you also want to make sure you achieve the best possible outcomes for your employees as well.
Being able to convey important information to your employees and co-workers is also important when you are managing anything. Interpersonal skills or being able to reach someone both verbally and non-verbally is something that must be done every day when you are in charge of others. If your employees and co-workers are not comfortable approaching you to discuss matters, important or not, then you are likely not the best choice for manager. “The human relations skill and the capability to interact with others are among the most important and basic skills required by managers since this skill is the key to the success of the hospital manager.” Souroush, et al., 2020) Sometimes communication comes in the form of an e-mail, or newsletter. Being able to convey what needs to be said in a pleasant manner, and in a way that everyone can understand can be the difference in people taking things at face value or taking it in a way in which it was not meant to be taken.
Finally, having the desire to continue your education is an imperative part of being a good manager. This applies to the business side, as well as the health side of healthcare management. In a business there are policies and procedures that are forever changing. Within healthcare there can be the implementation of new insurances, new rules, and sometimes even the introduction of new doctors. Keeping your employees up to date on the constant changes, providing in-services as needed to update their skill set, and just conveying any outside changes as they occur is something I think a good manager should be able to do.
“Strategic management that is responsive to political, technological, societal and economic change is essential for health system strengthening.” (Figueroa, et al., 2019) Healthcare management is more than just dealing with the health aspect of things. It’s making sure your employees have the knowledge and tools necessary to make the right decisions and take care of their patients appropriately. It’s making sure you and your employees are following new rules and regulations that can come about at any time within the hospital’s setting. Healthcare management is a balance between making sure your employees and co-workers not only are comfortable coming to you with concerns and issues, but also respecting you enough to know that you are their superior and ultimately have the final say in things. “The more information we have, the more optimally we can organize ourselves to deliver the best outcomes.” (Dash, et al., 2019)
Keeping your knowledge database up to date with current information and being able to pass that along to those you over see is important in making sure things continue to run smoothly. It is also important to make sure everyone is on the same page about current rules. Hebrews 13:17 says “Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.” (What Does the Bible Say about Rules?, n.d.) Healthcare managers do what they do because it is usually brought down to them from their bosses. They are the ones who typically are first to know about changes and up to date policies. It is their job to make sure things are implemented and everyone is on the same page. While it may be difficult for some to understand why things are done the way they are, it is important to understand that everything is done for a reason, and for the best outcome of the facility.
One health administrator that is making a huge impact is Sandra Fenwick. She is chief operating officer of Boston Children’s hospital which specializes in children’s care. With her leadership, she was able to pull the hospital out of a $80 million operating loss and back into a position of financial strength. She is definitely someone who took her role seriously, and not only was she able to put her knowledge to use, but was able to make a huge difference not only for the hospital, but also in the lives of those who rely on the hospital for care. She is a prime example that if you take your job seriously, if you take your role as manager seriously, if you apply your skills, your knowledge and your heart into whatever you are trying to achieve, not only can you be successful in your position, but you can also help the facility or people you are managing become successful as well.
References:
Dash, S., Shakyawar, S. K., Sharma, M., & Kaushik, S. (2019). Big data in healthcare: management, analysis and future prospects. Journal of Big Data, 6(1), 1–25. https://doi.org/10.1186/s40537-019-0217-0
Figueroa, C. A., Harrison, R., Chauhan, A., & Meyer, L. (2019). Priorities and Challenges for Health Leadership and Workforce Management globally: a Rapid Review. BMC Health Services Research, 19(1), 1–11. Biomedcentral. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12913-019-4080-7
Sharon Bell Buchbinder, & Thompson, J. M. (2010). Career opportunities in health care management : perspectives from the field. Jones And Bartlett Publishers.
Soroush, A., Moradi, F., Toghroli, R., Abbas, J., Ziapour, A., Lebni, J., Aghili, A., Baharirad, N., & Mohseni, M. (2020). Hospital managers’ skills required and onward
What Does the Bible Say About Rules? (n.d.). Www.openbible.info. https://www.openbible.info/topics/ruleschallenges: A qualitative study. Journal of Education and Health Promotion, 9(1), 228. https://doi.org/10.4103/jehp