Successful doctors, especially the ones with super specialization, spend most (all) their time in OT and OPD.

They have very little time to invest in management functions like Accounts, Stores, Patient Relationship Management, Footfall Engagement, Utility Services Management, Security, Employee Satisfaction, Recruitment, Quality Assurance, Learning & Development and others.

It has been found that in most cases the spouse or someone reliable from the family tries to cater to the management functions.

If the spouse is also a doctor (generally they are) and has a reasonably successful practice the whole model becomes further complex.

In such a scenario, some of the older employees start running the show. They are there in the system by virtue of their loyalty and vintage and not due to their understanding of management functions.

Mismanagement often raises its ugly head in terms of long waiting time in OPD, unsatisfactory reception in ICCU, delay in discharge from IPD, likely pilferage in stores dept, little or no management accounting in accounts dept., short staffing and untrained nurses, poor quality of housekeeping and untrained attendants,  unhappy relatives of patients admitted in IPD and many more such instances.

The doctor feels frustrated to realize that all his/her good work is negated by the hospitals inability to cater to management functions.

To add to all this, there is a need now to get accredited by NABH , NABL and other such statutory bodies. An ISO certification has also become a desire for most hospitals.


The function of general hospital management therefore gains paramount importance.