Management in Health and Medicine

Management is defined as a range of activities (i.e., planning, organizing, staffing, directing, coordinating, reporting, and budgeting) which are carried out by formally appointed individuals (e.g., chief executive officers, vice presidents, directors, managers, supervisors) for purposes of aiding organizations in realizing their missions. It essentially serves as the action component of organizational behavior—the formal study of human behavior in organizations—operationalizing associated discoveries aimed at understanding workplace aspects and interactions in a bid to generate top performance. Of all administrative tools, management is the preeminent driving force of healthcare establishments, with excellence being essential for the best outcomes. Across the pages of this chapter, management is discussed in detail, directing attention toward a range of aspects, including its features and characteristics, the source of authority from which managers derive their power, the general principles of management, and the activities of management, all within the context of health and medicine. Attention also is directed toward the critical need for healthcare managers to acquire leadership skills in order to maximize their impact in their given healthcare establishments. Anyone holding or contemplating acquiring a position of authority in health and medicine must possess a firm understanding of management. This chapter provides assistance in acquiring associated acumen.