Doctors Resist Govt Plan for Hospital Administrators
The associations noted that trained medical administrators and experienced faculty are available within the system and should be utilised.
Hyderabad: Multiple doctors’ associations have opposed the government’s proposal to appoint Group-I and Group-II officers as hospital administrators in government healthcare institutions, warning it could affect patient care and management.
In separate statements, the associations stressed that hospital administration is a specialised medical field requiring clinical knowledge and management expertise. They pointed out that postgraduate courses such as MD in Hospital Administration train doctors in operations, patient safety, quality assurance and health systems management.
Citing practices at AIIMS and PGIMER, they said doctor-led administration has proven effective in ensuring quality healthcare and efficient functioning. Appointing non-medical administrators, they cautioned, could dilute standards, create parallel structures and delay decisions in critical areas such as emergency care, infection control and resource management.
The associations noted that trained medical administrators and experienced faculty are available within the system and should be utilised. Calling for reconsideration, they urged the government to strengthen medical leadership by enhancing authority and autonomy, arguing this would improve efficiency and accountability in public healthcare institutions.
