Understanding the Managerial Work of Hospital Managers in Saudi Arabia's Public Sector

Abstract

Management can be defined as 'working with and through other people to accomplish the objectives of both the organisation and its members' (Patrick & Bruce, 2000:6). Managers perform a variety of roles, so they require a considerable amount of skill to optimise and coordinate organisational functions. Management of health services is complex and the goal of health service managers is to help preserve and improve the health of the public. They are required to provide a high level of leadership and to apply knowledge and skills to meet the needs of various stakeholders as efficiently and effectively as possible. This study focuses on hospital managers working in the secondary and tertiary care hospitals managed by the Ministry of Health (MOH) in Saudi Arabia. The aims of this research are to determine the perceptions of hospital managers regarding the roles, skills, qualifications, challenges and motivational factors most germane to their work. Understanding the work they do can in turn facilitate the identification of the scope for improvement. In this vein, professional training programs can be introduced.