Principles of health administration

Principles of Health Administration

Health Administration

Sound administration is essential for the success of any public health program whether on the national, intermediate or the local level.

Definition of Sound Administration

“ The process of achieving defined goals at a defined time through the guidance, leadership, and control of the efforts of a group of individuals and the efficient utilization of non-human resources bearing in mind adequacy, speed, and economy to the utmost possible level.”

Another definition

“Administration is the art and science of guidance, leadership, and control of the efforts of a group of individuals towards some common goal.”

Management

Management is the operational part of administration.
It is defined as:
“ It is a set of interactive processes through which the utilization of resources results in the accomplishment of organization objectives.”
It is a “conversion mechanism”.


Process

Inputs

Outputs
A systems view of management:

Human resources

Non-human resources
Conversion
mechanism
Objectives
achievement

It is through “management” that the objectives of the health care organization are achieved by gathering and positioning of resources.

There are several elements for administration. In practice all these elements are interrelated to one another.
There are also 3 levels of administration.

Elements of Administration:

Planning
Organization
Staffing
Directing
Coordinating
Reporting
Budgeting
Supervising
Evaluation


Levels of Administration

Central

level
Intermediate
level
Local Level

Ministry of health

directorates of health
e.g. health office,
Hospital, health
care unit

Every program must have an overall (general) goal which confirms with that of the nation’s policy, and various objectives to be achieved according to a definite plan.

Goals versus Objectives

A GOAL: is a long range specified state of accomplishment towards the activity it is directed. Goals are not constrained by time or existing resources.

AN OBJECTIVE: is a measurable state of accomplishment aimed towards the goal. The objective should include a description of “what” outcome is desired, “when” it is expected, and “where” it will take place.


Planning
Planning is considered the most important element of the administrative process. The higher the level of administration, the more the involvement and time devoting to planning. A good plan is the basis of any successful program. Sufficient time should be given to the process of planning. More than one plan should be available to choose from to meet the existing plan.

Definition of Planning

“Planning is a projected or predetermined course of action designed to achieve a specific goal or objective.”
Planning determines What? When? Where? How? Why? And by whom? Things will be done.
It involves “decision making for future events”.

Process of systemic planning

• 1. Establishing goals and objectives
• 2. Designing alternative courses of action
• 3. Analysing and predicting the consequences
• 4. Selecting the best course of action
• 5. Implementing the selected plan and performing periodic evaluation to assure success of plan

Principles of planning

Being an intellectual activity it needs knowledge, experience, foresight, reasoning and the mastering of special skills and techniques. Examples of different techniques of planning are:
PPBS: Planning/Programming/Budgeting system
PERT: Performance/Evaluation/Review technique
CPM: Critical Path Method


Planning is a dynamic (non-static) process
It is a continuous circular process

Planning

Execution
(implementation)
Evaluation

Futuristic

Decision making process
Dynamic
Flexible

Participative planning is sharing the program planning with other people, staff and agencies concerned with the program.

Participative planning have advantages and disadvantages.

Planning of a program is based on:
Needs and demands of the public
Available resources
Attitude of the public


Constraints (intervening factors) to a plan may be social, economical or political, and they may be related to either:
External environment (community)
Internal environment (the organization)

Establishing priorities are essential in planning

(What are these priorities???)

Organization

Definitions:

“ Organization is any collection of persons, materials, procedures, ideas or facts arranged and ordered that the combination of parts makes a meaningful whole that works towards achieving organizational objectives.”

“The process of organization implies to the arrangement of human and non-human resources in an orderly fashion to make a meaningful whole that accomplishes organizational objectives.”