| In the health care industry, hospital management | | | | managers, financial problem is the top issue in |
| has emerged as one of the most important areas | | | | hospital management today. Problems such as |
| within the industry because, as a discipline, it | | | | increased operational costs, the demand for more |
| integrates medical, practical, social, and economic | | | | affordable services, and the like have seriously |
| factors in ensuring the smooth and effective | | | | effected hospital management in unprecedented |
| management of hospitals as the main sources of | | | | ways. |
| health care provision and services. According to | | | | Ensuring patient safety and service quality |
| the American Hospital Association (AHA), there | | | | Despite the financial considerations, a hospital |
| are currently 5,708 registered hospitals throughout | | | | manager must still ensure that the institution is |
| the US servicing over 37 million patients in a single | | | | capable of providing superior services to its |
| year. The logistic requirements of overseeing such | | | | patients. This aspect requires continuously |
| a huge sector of the health care industry require | | | | identifying, conceptualizing, and implementing |
| expert and professional management. | | | | systems designed to ensure patient safety and |
| In addition, the AHA official guide to hospital listing | | | | service quality. For example, given the drastic |
| requirements, it states that there must be a chief | | | | limitations in budget, the dilemma is to provide the |
| executive responsible for overseeing hospital | | | | same level of service quality and patient safety |
| operations in accordance with established policy. In | | | | and security at a lesser cost to the hospital. |
| this light, it is clear that ensuring the smooth | | | | Employee Satisfaction |
| delivery of services to patients entails proper | | | | Apart from the above, third on the list is |
| hospital management. | | | | maintaining employee satisfaction. Given that |
| As a discipline, hospital management has faced | | | | hospital personnel are on the frontline of service |
| growing demands for high quality medical care and | | | | provision, a hospital manager must keep the |
| services, as well as facilities where these shall be | | | | employees satisfied and motivate them to |
| undertaken. Hospital management serves as the | | | | produce good work. This area requires a review |
| direct link between healthcare facilities and the | | | | of stress-inducing factors that heighten employee |
| practitioners, staff, and companies providing the | | | | dissatisfaction. Steps must also be taken to |
| services and products needed to ensure smooth | | | | address the issue of lack of control over one's |
| operation. As a highly demanding field, hospital | | | | duties and work schedules as well as the lack of |
| management has faced several issues in the past. | | | | access to the decision making process involving |
| The ongoing search for solutions to improve the | | | | hospital personnel. |
| delivery of superior services to patients is a | | | | An effective hospital management system is one |
| challenging and difficult task, especially when one | | | | that expertly integrates various factors-economic, |
| considers the major issues involved. | | | | financial, social, and professional considerations-to |
| Financial constraints | | | | maintain the quality of service and ensure the |
| With the economic downturn currently being felt | | | | overall safety and security of its patients. In order |
| across US industries, hospital management is also | | | | to improve an existing management system, |
| reeling from its effects. In fact, according to | | | | these important factors must be considered and |
| American College of Healthcare Executives' | | | | ultimately, be addressed. |
| (ACHE) annual survey regarding issues faced by | | | | |