An assessment of healthcare leadership competencies at Busamed Gateway Private Hospital in Umhlanga.

Abstract

Scholars argue that there is a need to for healthcare managers/supervisors to be talented in management if they are to effectively deal with today’s increasing complicated healthcare environment. Managers/supervisors should work in such a way that they show measurable results and effectiveness to put into practice management operations informed by credible evidence on management. On the other hand, academic and professional programmes are underscoring the need for managers/supervisors to acquire competencies that would make them effective in their workplace. Even then, it remains unknown the competencies of healthcare managers/supervisors in the South African healthcare including managers/supervisors at the Busamed Gateway Private Hospital. Thus, this study was conducted to determine the competencies of healthcare managers/supervisors as a lack of appropriate competencies among healthcare managers/supervisors may be the cause of some of the healthcare challenges faced by the Busamed Gateway Private Hospital. A case study research design was used to guide the study. A quantitative research methodology was used to underpin the study, and census sampling was used to select twenty-four respondents. Data was collected using a questionnaire. Data was analysed with SPSS version 24.0. Generally, findings indicate that managers/supervisors at the Busamed Gateway Private Hospital believe to have communication and relationship management, professionalism, leadership, knowledge of the healthcare system and business skills competencies. However, with regards to communication/relationship management competencies the study indicates that managers/supervisors do not show negotiation competencies. There is a need therefore for managers/supervisors to explore the principles of seeking mutual benefit with employees as this key to a successful leadership in hospitals. With regards professionalism competencies managers/supervisors are strong in ethical and health profession competencies than in other competencies. There is a need for managers/supervisors to consider all professional competencies as important in hospital operation. Findings on healthcare environment competencies show that improving the health system competence is not prioritised, as results managers/supervisors do not have the freedom to implement whole scale changes to the health care system. There is a need to revisit the hospital regulations and laws to allow leaders to be creative and innovative. The study found that leaders lack competencies to organise employees and resources that are critical in the process of delivering health care services. Thus, systems for the management of employees within the hospital should be revisited to maximise employee performance. On leadership competencies, the study found that managers/supervisors do not believe to have mutual trust competencies. Therefore, managers/supervisors lack skills to promote workplace trust. There is a need to run programmes to specifically teach employees on the importance of relationships between internal stakeholders and external stakeholders. This is important because the foundation of all relationships is trust. Without parties trusting each other it will be hard for stakeholders to come to an agreement or consensus on issues affecting the hospital.