Mentoring in Health Services Management

Abstract

Since the University of Chicago Health Management program was first initiated in 1932, programs and health delivery organizations have dealt with the issue of how to best provide a meaningful transition from academia to entry-level management. Today, new challenges face the same old questions: New federal legislation and increased demand for a finite supply of services cause increased revenue and expense pressures and result in the need for a higher performance level by a well-coordinated management team. In addressing these challenges, mentoring is an essential requirement for survival and success in health services. The long-term success of future practitioners will require both an understanding and incorporation of mentoring in their skill set. The University of Virginia Medical Center recently sponsored a health management education summit to examine the role of mentoring in health services administration education. Leading the program were John Westerman, former interim president of Association of University Programs in Healthcare Administration and chief executive officer emeritus of the University of Minnesota Health System, and R. Edward Howell, chief executive officer of the University of Virginia Medical Center. Summit participants included individuals who had completed administrative fellowship training programs. What follows is a review of the discussions during the summit, including a valuation of the health services fellowship as a learning experience as well as structure and essential elements of administrative mentoring programs.