The imperative of professionalising healthcare management: A global perspective

Effective healthcare management for addressing complex organisational challenges is crucial for efficient healthcare delivery. Healthcare management involves organising, coordinating, planning and operationalising healthcare services, as well as leading people to ensure the delivery of effective patient care. Healthcare management applies management principles and practices to various healthcare organisations, such as hospitals, functional departments, clinics, cross-functional departments and public health organisations. Recognising a gap in management training, especially for clinicians having managerial responsibilities, is a call for global professionalisation of healthcare management to equip leaders with essential skills. In many healthcare settings across the globe, healthcare management does not always require professional management qualifications. This article advocates for the need for a structured approach towards professionalising healthcare management globally and especially in the Eastern Mediterranean Region (EMR).