Hospital managers' skills required and onward challenges: A qualitative study

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Organizational Behavior
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Effective management skills are crucial for organizational success and employee performance.
• Hospital managers require specific competencies to navigate the complexities of healthcare delivery.
• The unique nature of healthcare services necessitates specialized management approaches.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify essential management skills for hospital managers.
• To assess hospital managers' capabilities in addressing healthcare provision challenges.
• To understand the critical role of hospital managers in patient and employee satisfaction.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study utilizing in-depth interviews.
• 22 senior and middle managers from educational hospitals in Kermanshah city participated.
• Interview data were transcribed and analyzed using MAXQDA software.

Main Results:

• Identified 8 key themes and 23 subthemes related to hospital management.
• Essential skills include strategic, perceptive, and human relations abilities, work experience, and personal characteristics.
• Key challenges include rapid policy shifts, financial resource limitations, and educational-occupational sphere mismatches.

Conclusions:

• Hospital management is uniquely sensitive due to its service philosophy and operational differences.
• The hospital manager's role is pivotal for patient satisfaction and organizational effectiveness.
• Policymakers must prioritize the selection and appraisal of hospital managers based on essential skills and capabilities.