title: Clinical managers in the primary care sector: do the benefits stack up?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this paper is to explore the nature and value of the clinical management role undertaken by primary care doctors in Ireland. To date, a majority of research has focused on clinical management roles in the acute sector.
  
  
  METHODS
  The paper presents a sub-set of data from a mixed methods study. In total, 14 semi-structured interviews are drawn upon to identify the nature and value of the clinical management role in primary care.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Comparison with acute sector research identifies considerable differences in the nature of the clinical management role across sectors--and in the associated value proposition. Structural and role-related contingencies affecting the potential value of clinical management roles in Irish primary care are discussed. Structural influences include the private ownership structure, low complexity and limited requirement for cross-professional coordination. Role-related influences include the primacy of the clinical identity, time constraints and lack of managerial training.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings provide a limited basis for generalisation, premised on 14 interviews in one national context. However, given the international shift towards the provision of health services in primary care, they provide a research agenda for an important healthcare context.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The findings draw attention to the need for policy consideration of the value of the clinical manager role in primary care; how policy can support effective primary care management; and the need for specialised management training, which takes account of the small-firm context.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The paper identifies that primary-care clinical-management roles focus on operational management and oversight and discusses the structural and role-related factors which affect their efficacy.
authors.affiliation: School of Business, Waterford Institute of Technology, Waterford, Ireland. coriordan@wit.ie
authors.forename: Chris
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: O'Riordan
authors.forename: Aoife
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: McDermott
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008486:Physician Executives; D058007:Physicians, Primary Care / Q000523:psychology; D011216:Practice Management, Medical; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration; D036301:Qualitative Research