Critical Managerial Activity and Competency of Healthcare Management: A Study of Eighteen Hospitals

This study employed the activity competency model (ACM) to investigate the perceived importance of the managerial activities, skills and knowledge required by top management in the healthcare sector. A survey instrument was designed based on the ACM for data collection. It encompasses 17 initial managerial activities and 14 managerial competences required to effectively perform these management activities. Data for this study were collected using a structured questionnaire. Twenty-seven healthcare top managers from 18 major hospitals in Taiwan were selected. These include 10 medical centers and 8 regional hospitals. Among these 27 top managers, there are 12 superintendents, 13 vice superintendents, and 2 chief executive officers. A set of critical managerial activities and the competency needed for top managers in the healthcare sector was identified. Findings have implications for healthcare management development, training and management career planning. Additionally, these findings can also serve as guidelines for recruiting the right top healthcare managers.