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Punjab: MBA professionals to be hired for better management of hospitals
The health department has already sought from the civil surgeons the number of facility managers required for each district hospital; facility managers will be tasked with improving the hospital management
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The Punjab government is all set to hire MBA professionals for better management of hospitals. Those having degrees in MBA, Master of Hospital Administration and Master’s in Public Health will be hired as facility managers for district hospitals across the state.
The health department has already sought from the civil surgeons the number of facility managers required for each district hospital. It has been learnt that the new initiative comes as the department has been at the receiving end continuously amid power cuts, lack of basic amenities, non-functional machines, non-availability of medicines and surgical items and lack of security measures. Notably, most health facilities across the state are helmed by medical superintendents and senior medical officers who don’t have any formal administrative training.
The newly appointed MBA graduates will receive a monthly salary of ₹30,000.
“It is informed that an approval has been granted for outsourcing facility managers for the district hospitals (initially for 1 year) at the level of senior medical officers through an outsourced agency hired by the Punjab Health System Corporation (PHSC),” reads the letter issued by the health director to the civil surgeons.
Officials said the facility managers would be tasked with improving the hospital management, utilising hospital services, overseeing logistics and upkeep of hospital equipment and maintaining the quality of services and public amenities.
“Despite government putting in funds and efforts, there was a lack of management owing to overburden of work. These facility managers will assist the medical superintendent and ensure better health facilities for the poor patients,” said a senior health official, pleading anonymity.
Meanwhile, Punjab Civil Medical Services Association president Dr Akhil Sarin, when asked about the move, said, “It can be given a try as it can facilitate optimal working of the district hospitals, provided the facility managers work under the SMOs’ control. This move needs to be coupled with filling of vacant health workers’ positions.”
