Perceived hospital managerial competency in Tehran, Iran: is there a difference between public and private hospitals?
BACKGROUND
Hospital managers should have enough managerial competencies to coordinate the complex environment. The underlying assumption is that there is a potential gap in management capacity between public and private hospitals in Iran. This study aims to evaluate competency level of hospital managers and to compare their competencies in public and private hospitals.


METHODS
This study was descriptive-analytic, carried out in 2015. A survey using a self-administered questionnaire was conducted among 127 public and private hospitals managers in Tehran Province, Iran. Respondents were asked to rate their competencies in a five-key subscale that included people-related skills, health delivery, self-management, task-related skills, and strategic planning and management. Ratings were based on a five-point Likert scale ranging from very low to excellent competency level.


RESULTS
Self-assessment of competencies level showed that managers in all state hospitals evaluate their competency at a low level. Managers felt most competent in health-delivery skills (3.71), people-related skills (3.61), and strategic planning and management (3.57), relatively less competent in self-management (3.54) and task-related skills (3.49). While being the mean total competency levels were significantly higher among male managers, those who participated in the healthcare/hospital management training courses, and those whose primary formal qualification was management in healthcare/hospital management (P<0.05). Similarly, managers who had more experience in their current position were more likely to report higher competencies level (P<0.05). Managers in private hospitals perceived themselves to be significantly more competent than their public hospitals colleagues in most of the management facets (P<0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
There is a perceived lack of management capacity by managers of both public and private hospitals and the gap between public and private hospitals is small. There is widespread need for management training to be made available in Iran.
aSocial Determinants of Health Research Center, Qazvin University of Medical Sciences, Qazvin bDepartment of Health Management and Economics, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences cSchool of Health, Safety and Environment, Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences dHealth Management and Economics Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran eIranian Center of Excellence in Health Management, School of Management and Medical Informatics, Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, Tabriz, Iran.
Rohollah
R
Kalhor
Mahsa
M
Tajnesaei
Edris
E
Kakemam
Mesam Safi
MS
Keykaleh
Leila
L
Kalhor
D000328:Adult; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006739:Hospital Administration; D006740:Hospital Administrators / Q000523:psychology*; D016304:Hospitals, Private / Q000458:organization & administration; D006779:Hospitals, Public / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007492:Iran; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011361:Professional Competence; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires