The Health Professional as Manager

Select either Option A or Option B and indicate in your post which option you have selected.

Option A: Imagine your colleague and friend, Jane Smith, has recently been promoted to department manager for your facility. You have worked side-by-side with Jane for the past ten years and can speak to her excellent skills as a health professional. However, Jane has no prior management experience and many of your co-workers are fearful that she does not possess the necessary leadership skills to effectively lead the team. You feel conflicted because you agree with your colleagues but you also have faith that Jane will do her best. Considering Jane's situation, describe the dual role of the health professional as manager. What challenges do managers face when they make the leap from health care professional to manager? What are some of the common complaints to indicate the presence of ill-fitting management?

Option B: Given the effort and creativity that you have put into your Senior Projects for this course, use this discussion board as a forum to share your topic with your classmates. Provide a comprehensive description of the topic you chose, discuss your reason(s) for choosing the topic, and present some of the key information that you learned throughout the research process. For example, what did you learn about the role of management in influencing health care decisions? How do you think the future of healthcare will be impacted by your topic? Are there any current events and/or media stories that relate to your topic?

Guided Response for Option A and Option B: Review several of your classmates' posts. Provide a substantive response to at least two of your peers. Do you agree or disagree with their opinions? Would you offer any other insight? Discuss any personal and/or professional experiences with ineffective managers. What issues were caused? What was done to rectify these issues?