Strong leadership is essential for ensuring the success of any healthcare facility. Whether you’re running a hospital or your own private practice, these management skills are essential.
1. Change Management Skills for the Evolving Healthcare Landscape
The healthcare landscape is evolving from a sector focused on the volume of patients to one centered around quality patient care. According to Chris Van Gorder, the chief executive officer of Scripps Health, healthcare managers must have change management skills to adapt to this industry shift. These vital skills will help them manage the need for change in workplace processes and cultures, and communicate this need to healthcare employees at all levels.
2. Understanding of Legalities for Policy Implementation
Legal knowledge might not seem like an obvious requirement for a healthcare manager, but it’s essential for operating in the modern medical environment. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, medical and health services managers must adapt to any changes in healthcare regulations and laws. This requires a clear understanding of new policies and rules for their implementation.
3. Analytical Skills Help Make Healthcare Facilities Better
For true success, it’s not enough for a manager to keep up the status quo. Successful managers look to the future, putting their analytical skills to work to assess current operations and find areas for improvement. A Healthcare MBA program can help develop analytical skills through specialized electives like healthcare quality analysis; this knowledge can in turn help healthcare managers apply common quality tools, like cause-effect diagrams and Pareto charts, to the healthcare environment.
4. Problem-Solving Skills Help Managers Overcome Obstacles
No matter what the size of their organization, healthcare managers call on their problem-solving skills every day. These talents come in handy when settling staff disputes, handling a healthcare crisis, and balancing the budget.
Healthcare managers also rely on their problem-solving skills after identifying areas of weakness within their organizations. After using analytical skills to assess company processes and procedures, it takes problem-solving know-how to correct and improve the facility.
Problem-solving is a skill with many facets, including remaining objective, engaging creativity, and calling on the right open-minded people for support. Practicing all of these can help healthcare managers become expert problem solvers.
5. Aptitude for Co-Managing in Contemporary Healthcare Facilities
Modern healthcare managers don’t just need to call on the right people for problem-solving. Co-managing has become a key part of the contemporary healthcare landscape. Healthcare environments are collaborative, even in the world of private practice. Successful managers must be open to sharing responsibility with other key personnel, including clinical leaders and front-line employees.
6. Technology Skills Help Managers Navigate Modern Workplaces
Technology skills are becoming increasingly important for managers working in health care. Most hospitals and healthcare facilities use electronic health records, along with specialized coding and billing software. Mobile healthcare programs are also on the rise. As technology advances, healthcare managers will need to keep pace with the latest initiatives.
Managing a healthcare facility brings a set of unique challenges, but these skills along with an MBA in healthcare will help you and your organization succeed.
Recommended Reading
A Look at MBA Healthcare Management Jobs
George Washington University Healthcare MBA Program
Sources
http://www.monster.com/healthcare/a/Top-5-Skills-and-Qualifications-for-Health-Services-Administration
http://www.theatlantic.com/sponsored/cvs-innovation-care/mhealth-movement-mobile-apps-and-rise-portable-care/97/
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