Assessing Training Needs and Self-Efficacy of Hospital Administrators in Western India

Effective training is required to enhance hospital administrators' abilities and improve performance. This study evaluates the training needs and their association with the self-efficacy of hospital administrators in public and private hospitals in Western India.

This study evaluated the training needs of hospital administrators using a survey-based methodology and a descriptive cross-sectional design. The study included hospital administrators from public and private healthcare institutions in Western India. Purposive selection strategies were used to choose 127 administrators/managers to participate in the study. Primary data was gathered using a validated measure of general self-efficacy scale by Schwarzer and Jerusalem and the WHO-adopted Hennery-Hicks Training Needs Assessment Questionnaire with 30 items. These items were categorized into six core categories: communication, self-management, hospital operations, research and development, information and communication technology (ICT) and report management, and team management and supervision. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation to evaluate the association between training needs and self-efficacy, and a t-test to compare the administrators of the private and public sectors.

The findings indicated strong positive associations between training needs and self-efficacy in administrators. There was higher self-efficacy among private sector administrators (M: 4.08, SD: 0.50) than their counterparts in the public sector (M: 3.91, SD: 0.60). Key areas for the training requirement included self-management skills (93.7%), ICT and report management skills (92.0%), and team management skills (93.2%). Additionally, managers in the private sector were more likely than those in the public sector to say they needed more training.

The findings showed a considerable demand for self-management and ICT and report management skills training. Also, hospital administrators showed a significant willingness to participate in training to advance their abilities despite their degree of experience, indicating a proactive commitment to professional development.