The Role of a Health Care Manager

Health care management is a growing profession. These managers are expected to manage inpatient and outpatient care facilities as well as non-direct care settings. Therefore, it is important for health care managers to understand the complexity of its roles and functions to build the necessary skills to help them be successful.

Complete the following table in which you identify and discuss the role of the health care manager in the following functions: organizing, planning, controlling and leading. In the spaces provided, ensure you identify and discuss them according to these guidelines:

Define each of the functions listed. You must define the function in your own words; do not copy the definition from a textbook.
Identify and discuss the role of a health care manager in the given function.
Provide an explanation that illustrates the role of a health care manager as it applies to the function in the health care Industry.

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Submitted by: Marilyn Gonzalez

Function	Identify the role of a health care manager in the function stated.	Provide an explanation that illustrates the role of a health care manager as it applies to the function in the health care Industry.
Organizing	The primary role of a healthcare manager in organizing is to ensure that the facilities are available for out-patient, in-patient and emergency units of the healthcare centre. The healthcare manager must be able to organize the administration of the functions and services forth customers in an efficiently way which is not time consuming activities.	The manager must be able to organize the budget for each unit and ensure its proper management to meet the needs of the units and the customers. The healthcare manager must be able to arrange not only for the required supplies but also create relationships with alternative suppliers for back up supplies. The information technology functions have to be well developed and the latest technology in healthcare should be installed to make the treatment and training processes for all medical professionals of high quality and provide a competitive edge though proper management of all the resources.
Planning	The role of the health care manager in planning entail creating the budget for the health care organization, developing strategic plans to met competition and to meet the business goals of the organization. Planning for a healthcare manager means taking the business decisions to make the health care organization profitable, efficient and be in a position to deliver high quality healthcare services and treatment in view of the cost of treatment which patients have to pay.	The plans that are developed by the healthcare manager provide the vision and the direction for the entire human resources of the healthcare organization. The purpose of planning all the activities is to make sure that the goals and the activities to achieve the business goals are suited to the need of the organization, the medical professionals and the community needs. His role in planning is to manage the healthcare business of the organization.
Controlling	The role of the health care manager in controlling is to establish an acceptable level of performance for all the medical professionals which need to be followed by all those working in the healthcare organization. The Manager places the controls on the standards of performance and puts into place the key performance – indicators by which each employee receives a feedback. The control includes taking corrective and preventive actions.	The healthcare manager sets the standards of performance to measure the quality of performance, the performance measurements are taken and compared with the set standards, take corrective action in all areas of management to, ensure that the supplier power is low, the investors understand the business logic of the control functions which provides them with returns and all the patient safety measures and staff safety measures are in place. The Manager also has to ensure regulatory compliance and reporting to avoid penalties.
Leading	The role of a healthcare manager in leading is to inspire the employees in the healthcare organization, the motivate them to performance to the best of their ability, to use ethical means of treatment and ethical behavior within the organizational culture and to provide the leadership by example of integrity, honesty and ethical standards for personal performance.	While leading the team the Manager needs to be able to connect to all the employees and medical professionals to give them the confidence of being able to work creatively to cure a patient not just prevent a disease. The right type of leadership needs to be provided as all healthcare managers may not be leaders. The inspiration and the urge to follow should come from within each individual in the healthcare organization. The manager’s role in leading is to sow them the goal and the objectives and provide the strategy for achievements.