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Health managers and health reform

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 February 2015

David Briggs ,
Mary Cruickshank  and
Penny Paliadelis
David Briggs*
Affiliation:
Schools of Health and Rural Medicine, Faculty of the Professions, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
Mary Cruickshank
Affiliation:
Faculty of Health, University of Canberra, Canberra, ACT, Australia
Penny Paliadelis
Affiliation:
Schools of Health and Rural Medicine, Faculty of the Professions, University of New England, Armidale, NSW, Australia
*
E-mail: dbriggs@une.edu.au
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Abstract

This qualitative study was undertaken with a diverse sample of Australian health managers to examine their perceptions regarding the health system and to understand how they learned to become health managers. The findings showed that they viewed the health system as one of constant change, mostly non-adaptive, and a system of parts controlled by bureaucrats and political interests. While the respondents enjoyed their managerial role, they see it as contested between the professions. This study concluded that greater emphasis on the education and training of health managers and their continuing professional development is required if they are to manage increasingly complex, dynamic and changing health systems. In Australia, the health debate continues with the recently announced national health reform agenda. The perceptions of health managers in health reform and change management are important given that they are said to be central to the implementation of health reform and the management of change.

Keywords

health caremanagersreformchangemanagerialcontestedprofessionsphenomenology
Type
Healthcare management challenges for nurse managers
Information
Journal of Management & Organization , Volume 18 , Issue 5: Healthcare management: Progress, problems and solutions , September 2012 , pp. 641 - 658
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press and Australian and New Zealand Academy of Management 2012

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