Initiation of academic health administration education in Israel

This article describes the historical and political context of the evolution of health care management in Israel, including the role of the Ministry of Health and various national advisory committees, and the influence exerted by labor unions attempting to control the management work force. Reasons for the lack of professional identification among health care managers and the problems faced by universities initiating programs in health administration are examined. The author goes on to describe efforts by Ben Gurion University and other institutions to implement management education programs for health administration and the effects these programs may have on the quality of health administration and its status as a profession in Israel.