[Essential competences for the management of health care networks]

We suggest that in order to fulfill the health needs of the majority of the Chilean population, which is beneficiary of the public health system, essential organizational skills should be developed for network administration among Self-administered Hospitals, Network Manager and Primary Health Care facilities. Self-administered Hospitals should be competent in managing service options according to their strategy for development, reference and counter-reference mechanisms and waiting lists, to optimize queuing. The Network Manager should be competent in demand management that is regulated, investments management that determines future development in terms of population needs and stakeholders' management, which is a political viability type of management. Finally, the Primary Health Care manager should be competent in demand management as a strategic partner of the Network Manager, community participation and management of interlinked areas, articulating social networks and sanitary impact management. At each level and within levels, there are crossroads that promote synergies. Based on the development of essential skills, a practice with strategic intentions, organization managers will develop team work skills.