Role and Functions of Management in Healthcare Settings - Essay Example

"Role and Functions of Management in Healthcare Settings" is a marvelous example of a paper on the health system.
Healthcare settings always have to deal with many activities where commands and direction come from the top management. Provision of healthcare services has become a competitive job hence healthcare managers have to identify the four distinct functions of management to sustain competition (Buchbinder, 2012). Briefly, some of the usual functions of management include planning, organizing, controlling, and leading, and these elements relate to the healthcare sector (Barkley, 2012). The planning function of management in the healthcare industry entails setting organizational goals as well as preparing the stage for actions and great achievements. In this case, the management must set goals for the healthcare organization with clear plans of action for achieving success. Organizing functions of the management entails assemblage and coordination of financial and human resources for achieving the set goals where the executive healthcare team groups tasks into work units, allocating resources as well as creating conditions that encourage the integration of all people in ensuring that everything runs smooth. 

Leading is another important management function in the healthcare setting since it involves stimulating people to work (Barkley, 2012). Leadership not only takes in the top management but also within departments and subdivisions. The leadership role of management involves giving direction to the healthcare staff and making that they get enough support in handling various tasks. In fact, the leadership role of executive management is very crucial in the healthcare sector given the demanding nature of the job. In this case, the leadership function of the management motivates employees by putting their needs and expectations before the interest of the organization. On the other hand, the leadership function of management aims at encouraging high performance thus increasing overall morale where the executive teams ensure that the staff completes both their goals and those of the organization and that they do not coincide. Nonetheless, controlling is a management function that prompts managers to plan for resource use (Buchbinder, 2012). In addition, controlling entails the right use of limited resources to meet the goals of safety and quality in the healthcare sector.

 The four functions of management are not only applicable to an organizational context but also in managing oneself. For instance, it is imperative to plan in life where individual plans for his or her use of time, resources, and goals. Nonetheless, the organization is a crucial aspect of life that compels individuals to take each task in a chronological manner where an individual coordinates his or her daily activities to achieve life goals. Besides, the leadership aspect of management ensures that a person can be in control of a situation and be looked upon by others to make useful decisions. Finally, an individual must always control how or she uses resources.

 Managers and leaders have varied roles depending on functions and titles that the healthcare officials hold. For instance, Hospital administrators are concerned about admissions, staff, and maintenance of their medical centers where all these functions ensure that the organization provides necessary services to the patients (Numerato, Salvatore, & Fattore, 2012). Large healthcare facilities design special departments like surgery or nursery where clinical managers take charge by setting goals, as well as procedures for tasks after broad consultation with the chief administrator and other leaders of the clinical sector. There are also health information managers whose functions are to safeguard sensitive medical information, especially from unauthorized and casual access.

Planning is the most important aspect of healthcare management that one can focus on since it entails forecasting for the implication of decisions that healthcare leaders make (Buchbinder, 2012). The healthcare leaders must plan for every resource they have including the workforce. An important aspect of planning is developing a good communication model that will ensure that the commands flow from the right source in the intended direction. Planning summarizes other functions hence it is a very crucial part of healthcare management to give much attention.