Healthcare Management Forum

A survey of English-language hospitals with more than 300 beds in Canada was conducted in 1989 to assess institutional ethics committees. A dramatic increase was found in the growth of such committees, compared with a similar survey taken in 1984. The growth and the activities of institutional ethics committees are discussed, noting the need for more attention for research on their effectiveness.

On a effectué en 1989 une enquête auprès des hôpitaux de langue anglaise de plus de 300 lits au Canada afin d'évaluer les comités de déontologie de ces établissements. On a constaté une augmentation spectaculaire du nombre de ces comités, comparativement aux résultats obtenus à la suite d'une enquête semblable effectuée en 1984. Nous analysons la croissance des activités des comités de déontologie dans les établissements de soins de santé et soulignons qu'il faut consacrer davantage d'attention à la recherche sur leur efficacité.

Top executivè will be required to have strong leadership skills, combined with solid communication and team-building skills, to move their organizations through a decade that will promise tight fiscal constraint, increasing involvement in the decision-making process from medical staff, trustees, government officials and facility personnel.

The evaluation of the chief executive officer (CEO) will continue along traditional lines with the development of goals and objectives in defined areas of accountability. There will, however, be increased emphasis on the development of measurable standards, and the CEO's ability to lead the organization, motivate the organization's people resources and reallocate resources to meet the organization's mission and the health care needs of the community.

The extent to which health administration can be considered a profession is examined in the context of the five major models of the professions in the literature (historical, trait, functional, economic and power). A synthesis of the various models into a proposed integrative model, or typology of occupations, is also presented. Control over entry and control over conduct are identified as the two major dimensions by which the professional status of various occupations is measured. Health administration is seen as a profession in this context, and the prospects for further professionalization are discussed.

VI-CARE (Victoria Integrated Care Alternative Review and Evaluation) was introduced in 1988 to improve utilization of hospital services while matching patient needs to their care. Objective criteria were used to review admissions: Examination of occupancy, waiting lists, the MedisGroup patient severity index and surgical hours indicate the preliminary success of the program. Formal research is underway, but article two of the two-part series suggests targeted utilization be implemented in conjunction with quality assurance activities.

In the fall 1990 edition of Healthcare Management FORUM Gestion des soins de santé (Volume 3, Number 3) we inadvertently erred in spelling the name and in giving the position of one of the authors of the article, “Occupational Health Services For Hospital Workers: Who Does it Best?” (page 20). The correct spelling is: T. L. Guidotti, MD, MPh, FRCPC, CCBOM, and his title is: Professor Occupational Medicine, Director Environmental & Occupational Health Programs, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton. We sincerely apologize to Dr. Guidotti for any inconvenience these errors might have caused.

Dans l'édition d'automne 1990 de Healthcare Management FORUM Gestion des soins de santé (Volume 3, Numéro 3) nous avons, par inadvertance, erré dans l'orthographe du nom et le poste occupé par l'un des auteurs de l'article “Occupational Health Services For Hospital Workers: Who Does it Best?” (page 20). L'auteur est: T. L. Guidotti, MD, MPh, FRCPC, CCBOM, et son poste est: Professor Occupational Medicine, Director Environmental & Occupational Health Programs, Faculty of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton. Nous nous excusons pour les inconvénients que ces erreurs auraient pu causer au Dr Guidotti.