Management Competencies
Management Competencies – Experience of a Healthcare Manager
Context
Health care organisations in New Zealand today face similar challenges to those in other highly developed countries (1, 2). With growing aging populations and increasing burden of chronic illnesses the demand for publically funded health and disabilities services continues to grow significantly (1). This increase in need coupled with the advancements in technology has driven the costs of providing publically funded healthcare services to unsustainable high levels (1, 2). Public spending on healthcare has continued to rise at the rate of 6% per year over the last decade with 21% of share of public spending being on health in 2010 (2, 3).
In a background of the global economic crisis, District Health Boards (DHBs) who are charged with the provision of publically funded health and disability services are increasingly having to re-engineer their systems and services to provide value in financially constraint environments (2). While this at a systems level may mean taking a “whole of systems” approach with integrated service models (2), at the unit-specific services level it also includes focused attention on productivity, quality, waste reduction and safety.
Key Competencies of the Service Manager
Management competence is an important determinant of healthcare organisational performance (5). Competence is an individual’s knowledge, skills and behaviours relevant to their practice and performance (6, 7). Evidence from the Management Matter Research Project indicates that “higher management practice in hospitals is strongly correlated with hospitals’ quality of patient care and productivity outcomes” (8). It reported that improved management practice in hospitals were related to better clinical outcomes, increased patient satisfaction and better financial performance (8).
The management role focused in this case is the service manager, a middle management role responsible for the
Context
Health care organisations in New Zealand today face similar challenges to those in other highly developed countries (1, 2). With growing aging populations and increasing burden of chronic illnesses the demand for publically funded health and disabilities services continues to grow significantly (1). This increase in need coupled with the advancements in technology has driven the costs of providing publically funded healthcare services to unsustainable high levels (1, 2). Public spending on healthcare has continued to rise at the rate of 6% per year over the last decade with 21% of share of public spending being on health in 2010 (2, 3).
In a background of the global economic crisis, District Health Boards (DHBs) who are charged with the provision of publically funded health and disability services are increasingly having to re-engineer their systems and services to provide value in financially constraint environments (2). While this at a systems level may mean taking a “whole of systems” approach with integrated service models (2), at the unit-specific services level it also includes focused attention on productivity, quality, waste reduction and safety.
Key Competencies of the Service Manager
Management competence is an important determinant of healthcare organisational performance (5). Competence is an individual’s knowledge, skills and behaviours relevant to their practice and performance (6, 7). Evidence from the Management Matter Research Project indicates that “higher management practice in hospitals is strongly correlated with hospitals’ quality of patient care and productivity outcomes” (8). It reported that improved management practice in hospitals were related to better clinical outcomes, increased patient satisfaction and better financial performance (8).
The management role focused in this case is the service manager, a middle management role responsible for the
References: 12. Stefl M. Common competencies for all healthcare managers: The Healthcare Leadership Alliance Model. J Healthcare Management. 2008; 53(6): 360-73. 13. Anderson P, Pulich M. Managerial competencies necessary in today’s dynamic health care environment. Health Care Manager. 2002; 21(2): 1–11. 16. Shewchuk RM, O’Connor S, Fine D. Building an Understanding of the Competencies Needed for Health Administration Practice. Journal of Health Care Management. 2005; 50(1):32-47. 19. Yaker J, Donaldson-Fielder E. Management competencies for preventing and reducing stress at work. Identifying and developing the management behaviours necessary to implement the HSE management standards. Phase 2. 2007.