Managing hospitals

WITH a profusion of multispeciality health care institutions, Coimbatore has begun to give considerable importance to effective hospital administration along with emphasis on surgical skills and the use of advanced technology.

The Dr. N.G.P. College of Arts and Science offers an MBA course in Hospital Management, which is recognised by Bharathiar University. An M.Sc course in Hospital Administration is conducted at the 500-bed multispeciality Kovai Medical Centre and Hospital, which is also run by the NGP group. Persons holding any bachelors degree or a degree in nursing, physiotherapy, pharmacy or paramedical sciences can apply for the M.Sc course. It is open also to medical graduates.

The college offers research programmes in hospital administration.

Nalla G. Palanisami, chairman of the hospital and the group of educational institutions, gives emphasis to effective hospital administration in quality health care. He feels that even large private hospitals cannot be run with good doctors and technology alone. With increasing emphasis on ethical practices in health care, there is need for good hospital administrators, he says.

Hospital administration is nothing but helping patients meet doctors and undergo tests and treatment without delay. Effective hospital administration involves planning the building design well to ensure that the services are quick and easily accessible.

No one should regret coming to a hospital, he says.

This is important especially in view of medical tourism. Patient inflow will be hit if quality care is not available in the hospital.

Palanisami describes hospital administrators as specialists in multiple areas in the hospital. They have to deal with the available medical expertise, equipment, paramedical staff and canteen and even the disposal of biomedical waste. Besides, they should have good knowledge of accounts and marketing. As corporate hospitals are generally private limited companies, knowledge of company affairs is also needed. The courses have been designed to meet all these requirements.

There are plenty of opportunities in the job market for hospital administrators, he says.

K.V. Prasad