Turkish hospital management at a crossroads: prospects for the year 2000

The Turkish health system has been undergoing a radical reform process since the early 1990s. Reform proposals, based on purchaser/provider split, self-governing hospitals (ultimately leading to full privatization), compulsory health insurance etc., are expected to have a profound effect on hospital management. In such an environment, hospital administrators' views on the domains and issues that will come to the fore in the year 2000 gain importance. In this paper, results of a study undertaken among hospital administrators are presented. The study aimed to find the views of hospital administrators on issues likely to gain prominence in the year 2000 and the skills, knowledge, and abilities required to tackle these issues. It was concluded the autonomous status of hospitals, privatization, competition, and health trusts will become the central domains in the year 2000 in hospital administration. Innovation and following technological developments were considered most critical.