English
Abstract
This paper aims to discuss the duties and responsibilities of a chief executive officer (CEO) of a hospital which is considered one of the dream jobs of a person who works in the health care field. The details and information gathered in an interview with one of the CEO’s in the local community hospital was conducted to get a better insight on how CEO’s operate hospitals effectively. There will be a presentation of the sophisticated and specialized management techniques performed by CEOs which also involved activities outside of the hospital. The present hospital CEOs are required to strike a balance between the activities inside and outside of the hospital. Finally, there will be comparisons on the information gathered from the interview and the research materials including books, outside resources, and personal experience.
Key words: chief executive officer, CEO, hospital, supervision and responsibility.
Being a Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of a hospital is a dream job in the medical field. Data and information were gathered after conducting an interview with a hospital CEO in one of the local community hospitals to present the duties and responsibilities of a CEO. The tasks of the Chief Executive Officer are very extensive and all-embracing. He is responsible for the performance of all functions of the institution and shall be accountable to the governing authority of the Board of Directors (Griffin, 2011, 44). He is responsible to the Board of Directions for the organization and management of the hospital in accordance to the policies and directions established by the Board. As head of the organization, he shall be responsible for all the functions, including the medical staff, nursing division, technical support, patient support division and general services support to ensure the quality of patient care (Griffin, 2011, p.44). He is also tasked to ensure that appropriate systems and structures are in order so that there is effective management and control of the hospital including its resources, hiring and employment of workers, control, direction and discharge of hospital employees. The CEO is in charge of the structures and systems for the development review, recommend the expansion of new programs, and implements the changes in the program when necessary. The CEO is also responsible for human resource planning, strategic planning and for the identification of resource implications.
He is also tasked to create an organizational structure to promote the accountability of each hospital department, and to ensure that each staff member fulfills his assigned duties for the fulfilment of the mission, objectives and plans of the hospital. He is tasked to maintain a positive relationship and effective communication with the governing body, medical staff, employees and patients of the hospital.
Aside from the management of the inside and outside activities of the hospital, the CEO is also expected to be open, supportive and sensitive to the needs of his staff and the needs of the institution (Corning, 2003, p.100). He has to make extensive efforts to boost staff morale in order to promote a sense that everyone of them participate to work for a common goal. As a group, the CEO and his medical staff should exert extensive efforts to create a good image in the community. The CEO strives to strike a balance between work and keeping a harmonious relationship with his co-workers and medical staff. He wants to aim for a lean and efficient hospital operation with tight cost controls and high occupancy rate of at least 90 percent. The CEO must be able to maintain a high synergy system wherein all departments of the hospital work together effectively so that the objectives and goals of the hospital will be fully realized. After the interview, it can be concluded that the success of the hospital operations depends on the management skills of the CEO by having realizable goals and at the same time, doing a conscious effort to being sensitive to the needs of the staff and the whole institution.
References:
Corning, P. (2003). Nature's Magic: Synergy in Evolution and the Fate of Humankind. London:
Cambridge University Press.
Griffin, D. (2011). Hospitals: What They Are and How They Work. Sudbury, MA: Jones &
Bartlett.
