Status of Health Management Education in India: Past, Present, and Future

This article provides a perspective on the evolution of health management education in India, its current state and the way forward. Health management originated in India in response to the administrative needs of the healthcare system, which is now moving toward institutional care, away from its earlier form of home healthcare. As this field evolved over time, new roles emerged for health management professionals. Several articles have been published in the past describing the state and growth in the field of health management education. This article emphasizes the need to rationalize the sector and shape its future to suit the needs of over a billion people, who use the services of multiple organizations, directly or indirectly in a highly dynamic healthcare environment. We have identified the various challenges that affect the sector today; filling vacant positions, matching jobs with training, and changes in curricula required to achieve good matches. Solutions to address these challenges have also been considered, which in our view could be a way forward in this sector.