Hospital management

Healthcare facilities need more than just doctors and nurses. They need professionals to administer the organisation

Health management is among the top professions of the new millennium according to a recent US survey. As healthcare management is increasingly being privatised there is a greater need for not only skillful doctors but also efficient hospital administrators.

If hospitals have always fascinated you rather than scaring you off, and you have an empathic nature along with a flair for organisation and an eye for detail, then you can consider a career in hospital management.

A large number of private hospitals and clinics have come up all over the country. With increasing emphasis on the quality of health care and patient satisfaction there is a tremendous need for persons with a professional qualification in hospital management.

You will be responsible for the overall organisation and management of the hospital to ensure its smooth functioning with the objective of ensuring the complete satisfaction of the patient. The emphasis is on quality, efficiency and cost management.

The challenge is to deliver the highest quality care at the lowest cost.

It entails giving 100 per cent of your time to ensuring quality patient care, lowering their length of stay, decreasing resource utilisation and working with the medical and administrative staff to coordinate all aspects of in-house care.

Professional courses in hospital management/ administration are available for both medical and non-medical people.

Notes profiles three top colleges in India.

Devi Ahilya Vishwavidyalaya (DAVV)
Address: Khandwa Road, Indore – 452 001
Website: www.dauniv.ac.in

About the institute: DAVV was established in 1969, under the aegis of the University, the Institute of Management Studies (IMS). It is one of the top ranking institutions in India with a mission of education, research and training.

The institute runs a Health Care Programme with Tulane University, New Orleans, USA.

It is a part of a United States Agency for International Development (USAID) funded consortium with Tulane University for teaching, training and research in hospital administration.

It also has an academic collaboration with the Indian National Institute of Urban Affairs (NIUA) for training activities.

DAVV has also formed a consortium with the Vinod Gupta Charitable Foundation, New Delhi, and the Social Work Academy for Research and Action Jaipur, Rajasthan (SWARAJ) for academic purposes.

Programme: Master of Hospital Administration (MHA)
Eligibility: Those holding the following degrees:

The candidate must have a minimum of 50 per cent marks.

Entrance exam: Candidates seeking admission have to appear for the CET - Combined Entrance Test - conducted by DAVV. Based on their performance, candidates will be selected for counselling. The CET is held in the second or third week of May.

Pattern of exam: The CET is a one-hour exam and comprises 75 questions. The student is tested for Proficiency in English, Quantitative Ability, Data Interpretation, Reasoning and General Intelligence and General Awareness.

Apollo Institute of Hospital Administration
Address: Apollo Hospitals Complex, Jubilee Hills, Hyderabad – 33
Website: www.apolloiha.ac.in

About the institute: Established in 1994, the Apollo Institute of Hospital Administration (AIHA) is supported by the Apollo Hospitals Educational and Research Foundation, a non-profit organisation. It is approved by the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE).

Located on a 30-acre campus of Apollo Hospitals in Hyderabad, the institute is affiliated to Osmania University.

It started its Masters in Hospital Management (MHM) programme to prepare a dynamic generation of qualified managers and administrators for the efficient management of hospitals in India and abroad.

Students are exposed to various aspects of management theory and functions with emphasis on practical inputs to train them for immediate managerial assignments in hospitals.

The course is spread over five semesters - four semesters of theory and practicals, and one semester of internship in a leading speciality hospital in India.

The course is designed to equip the students through a balanced programme of theoretical and practical inputs.

Programme: Masters in Hospital Management (MHM)

Eligibility: Medical and non-medical graduates from a recognised university with 50 per cent marks.

Seats: Thirty including two seats for non-resident Indians, besides five seats for students of foreign nationalities/persons of Indian origin.

Entrance exam: The selection is based on an aggregate of marks secured in the entrance examination, group discussion and personal interviews conducted by Osmania University.

Qualifying marks in the entrance examination is 36 per cent (relaxable by 5 per cent for Scheduled Castes/Scheduled Tribes (SC/ST) candidates.

Only those who qualify in the written examination will be called for the group discussion and a personal interview.

Pattern of exam: The entrance test paper is set for 200 marks. It consists of questions under sections (A) Test of reasoning, (B) Numerical ability, (C) English comprehension and usage, (D) Health and Hospital knowledge, (E) Business Knowledge.

Indian Institute of Health Management Research (IIHMR)
Address: IIHMR 1, Prabhu Dayal Marg, Sanganer Airport, Jaipur – 302 011
Website: www.iihmr.org

About the institute: IIHMR has dedicated itself to improving standards of health through the better management of healthcare and related programmes.

It seeks to accomplish this through management research, training, consultation and institutional networking in a national and global perspective.

Established in 1984, IIHMR focuses on health systems management. It is recognised by the Department of Science & Technology, Ministry of Finance and the Indian Government as a research institution.

The institute undertakes training, research and consultancy in health management in close collaboration with international organisations including WHO, Unicef and the World Bank.

It also works closely with the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, the Indian Planning Commission, the Indian Council of Medical Research, state governments and others.

Programmes: The institute offers a two-year full-time postgraduate programme with a specialisation in any of the following three streams: Hospital/Health/Pharmaceutical Management. The courses are approved by AICTE and accredited by the National Board of Accreditation (NBA).

Eligibility: A bachelor's degree in any discipline with a minimum of 50 per cent marks.

Fees: The total fees for the two-year course is Rs1,92,000 (Dh16,215)