Who Will Run Hospitals After the War: 6 Essential Skills for Medical Managers
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The Ukrainian health care system has survived and continues to function, in particular thanks to medical professionals and, of course, managers who continue to work and help people in wartime conditions. But often their actions are intuitive, as many lack basic managerial competencies, especially crisis ones. In order for Ukrainian medicine to continue to develop, we need hundreds of managers with modern skills. Why should they learn? For 9 years, the war continues to affect all, without exception, spheres of our lives. In particular, Ukraine’s health care system, which was under even greater pressure due to problems caused by the pandemic earlier, was facing tests. At the same time, the so-called infrastructure reform began. Regions will once again rethink their network of medical institutions, the structure of medical services and people’s need for these services. These are difficult management decisions for both local authorities and medical institutions. In my opinion, right now it is important to develop the key traits of health care managers – speed of reactions and readiness for changes. What other skills should be taught to medical managers during and after a crisis? New tasks will require flexibility, anti-crisis management, speed in decision-making, analysis of strategic ideas and creation of new management strategies from medical managers. It is already necessary to train professionals – from policy makers (ministers, deputies and advisers) to health care managers (heads of medical institutions, deputy heads, managers and chief nurses) who will be able to work effectively in crisis situations. What competencies do health care managers need to develop? Strategic management. Ability to plan and work with an uncertain future. Anti-crisis management. In times of crisis, you need to live, not just “patch holes”. You need to remain efficient and productive and see opportunities despite challenges. Effective communications. Interaction with various structures and stakeholders (military, state, public) is one of the key skills, important in the conditions of war and post-war reconstruction. Work with human resources. You need to learn how to create teams and effectively manage them – support, motivate and ensure the development of people. International cooperation. It is worth learning to communicate and cooperate with international organizations that provide assistance in war or post-war reconstruction. Fundraising and crowdfunding. The ability to attract funds to projects and institutions is an inseparable skill of any manager. How can a manager get key skills? New approaches to the training of medical managers are needed in Ukraine. This means that institutions of higher and post-graduate education should update their programs, strengthen the teaching of management competencies – not only for managers, but also for medical practitioners. When creating new courses, it is important to take into account the crises that arise during the war and during the reconstruction period. This will help the healthcare system to continue to transform and function properly. In fact, such educational programs have already begun to appear. In terms of form, these are classic master’s programs at universities, and in terms of content, they are actual and practical disciplines. They are designed for leaders in the public health sector: policy makers at the national and regional level, civil servants and management teams of healthcare institutions, who after training will work on the transformation of the health care system. Now the point is that at all levels – the government, local self-government bodies, health care institutions: offer grants and other financial opportunities for the training of doctors and managers; stimulated innovation, introduced new methods and technologies in the field of health care, even in crisis conditions; motivated to study and develop young specialists who will potentially be future managers in the medical field; supported in the acquisition of relevant competencies of qualified managers who will be able to effectively manage new medical institutions. The development of managerial competencies, adaptation to extreme situations and constant improvement of professional qualifications – all these factors will be useful not only during the war, but also during the reconstruction process. And with new professional managers, we will be able to ensure the restoration of the health care system on a long-term basis. Matvii Khrenov, co-founder of the Ukrainian Health Care Center (UHC), specially for UP. Life Publications in the “View” section are not editorial articles and reflect exclusively the author’s point of view.
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