The Competency Movement in Public Hospitals: Analysing the Competencies of Hospital Executive Managers

Abstract

"Our primary aim was to provide a quantitative snapshot relying on a self-assessment tool developed for the local healthcare environment and formal tasks for top-level executive hospital managers of public healthcare organizations. We used a cross-sectional and descriptive mixed study design that targeted the nationwide population of 701 top-level managers in public hospitals in 2015 in Turkey. As the first step, position description content analysis was conducted based on document analysis to explore their legal tasks and statements, and the job requirements for an executive management position in public hospitals. Second, before designing the data-collection instrument, we conducted four meetings and group discussions with several hospital managers – with and without medical backgrounds – and five academics who were part of healthcare management and public administration departments. Lastly, we built upon past efforts and the literature, and constructed a questionnaire. The managers are fully responsible for the healthcare quality, medical, nursing, administrative issues and financial performance of the facility. The participants perceived that they were competent in most of the competencies. The participants’ mean total competency score was 81%, and the competency gap between the required and current competency levels differed from 13% to 22%. This research provides deep insight into the competencies perceived by hospital executive managers in a developing country context. Our results have several practical implications for both healthcare policymakers and new executive hospital managers. There is an urgent need for follow-up self-assessment for competencies and ongoing management training programs."

Leadership competencies of primary healthcare managers: a cross-sectional quantitative study of high, medium and low performing district councils in Tanzania

“…Furthermore, other scholars reported that leadership capabilities are limitedly investigated in most LMICs (14). Moreover, a study by (15) revealed the limited empirical research on leadership competency related issues at the primary healthcare level in developing countries This has resulted to a considerable knowledge gaps on the leadership competency of health managers in the LMICs that substantiate the need to be investigated (14,16). Thus, a reliable information is necessary to unveil the evidence on the leadership competency among primary healthcare facility managers in the LMICs including Tanzania (16,17).…”