Management competencies for healthcare professionals - a focus on course offerings from medical studies programmes in the Baltic States
ENThe recent economic downturn and struggle for the sustainability of social security programmes in an ageing Europe has increased pressure on healthcare systems to deliver their services in a more cost-effective way and to halt, or at least to slow down, the growth of expenditure on health. While the medical profession always welcomes new medical technologies, this is not usually the case for accepting new management technologies that have already proven to be extremely valuable towards the increase of efficiency and competitiveness in other industries. The purpose of this study is to compare the internationally expressed needs for new competencies in the medical profession and the content of medical studies programmes in Latvia, Lithuania and in Estonia with regard to courses being offered towards the development contextual organisational, leadership and management competencies. This study is based on a content analysis of the published frameworks of competencies for the profession of physician and on a comparison of medical studies programmes in all three Baltic states. The results of this study have revealed a similarity in understanding of the necessary competencies for physicians and also that there is a broad variety in the availability of definitive courses that are more directed at developing non-technical core competencies. The study also revealed a lack of dedicated courses, among the programmes analysed, aimed towards the development of managerial skills. This study clearly demonstrates the need for more collaboration between governments, healthcare providers and universities with regard to the adoption of professional education programmes to serve the present-day needs of our ever-changing healthcare systems.
