In the health care industry, hospital management has emerged as one of the most important areas within the industry because, as a discipline, it integrates medical, practical, social, and economic factors in ensuring the smooth and effective management of hospitals as the main sources of health care provision and services. According to the American Hospital Association (AHA), there are currently 5,708 registered hospitals throughout the US servicing over 37 million patients in a single year. The logistic requirements of overseeing such a huge sector of the health care industry require expert and professional management.
In addition, the AHA official guide to hospital listing requirements, it states that there must be a chief executive responsible for overseeing hospital operations in accordance with established policy. In this light, it is clear that ensuring the smooth delivery of services to patients entails proper hospital management.
As a discipline, hospital management has faced growing demands for high quality medical care and services, as well as facilities where these shall be undertaken. Hospital management serves as the direct link between healthcare facilities and the practitioners, staff, and companies providing the services and products needed to ensure smooth operation. As a highly demanding field, hospital management has faced several issues in the past. The ongoing search for solutions to improve the delivery of superior services to patients is a challenging and difficult task, especially when one considers the major issues involved.