Postgraduate Diploma in Health Management

Purpose

The Postgraduate Diploma in Health Management provides training at the managerial level. Many of the learners have some experience and knowledge of management which they have received from their undergraduate qualification. Thus this qualification builds on their existing knowledge and elevates the learner to thinking and behaving like a manager. The qualification provides the learner with comprehensive training to do the work of an operational or upper manager at local and district levels, for instance at hospitals, clinics and other health care facilities in the private and public sector. There is special emphasis on Community-Based Services, good governance and quality assurance in health care (in rural areas). The National Health insurance and the Ideal Clinic (Phak Initiative) are a reality in the health sector in South Africa. Therefore, the qualification focuses on planning, implementation, monitoring and control as well as HR management, quality control, sound financial management, resource management. Furthermore, the qualification will focus on stock control and procurement that is specific to the needs of the people of South Africa etc.

Rationale

Health care management is of critical importance in ensuring effective and efficient health service delivery in South Africa.

Many published reports about health management and poor health care service delivery in the media in the last few years are negative. In a report that was commissioned by the Development Bank of South Africa (DBSA, 2012: 6) found that 58% of the managers in district hospitals in the Eastern Cape received a below-average competency scorecard. These findings mirrored the findings for all hospitals (District, Specialist, Regional and Tertiary Hospitals) for the whole of the Eastern Cape. The findings also indicated that more health care managers in the Eastern Cape were below the 10th percentile (competence) than nationally, and fewer managers in the 90th percentile than in the national sample (DBSA, 2012: 8). Only 24% of the hospital managers in the Eastern Cape had a national first qualification (as their highest qualification) (DBSA, 2012: 12). The study also found that in the Eastern Cape, only 75% of health care managers possess some form of health qualification (as opposed to 87% nationally).

Further, no healthcare managers in the Eastern Cape possess all three - health, public administration and business qualifications. Only 10% of the participants possessed business and health qualifications (DBSA, 2012: 14). One per cent (1%) of the sample did not possess a business, health, or public administration qualifications at all (DBSA, 2012: 14). Furthermore, the study found the competencies of the managers differed significantly from the expectation. They lacked competencies in knowledge management, people and team management, financial management, leadership, communication and change management. The most significant difference was, however, in the field of health systems management (DBSA, 2012:16). In recent times, the quality (capacity) of healthcare managers and incidents of mismanagement is often the topic of discussion in health care circles, for example, episodes of incompetence and corruption. According to the MEC for the Eastern Cape Department of Health, there is an unprecedented crisis with R14 Billion in medico-legal claims.

The province needs to improve the competence of healthcare managers illustrated by the various media reports of incidents in health care facilities, e.g. loss of patients, malfunctioning equipment and also human resource issues. The introduction of the National Health Insurance and other measures to improve the health care in the province, e.g. Operation Phakisa, has prioritised the need for the development of healthcare professionals to manage healthcare services effectively. The Human Resource Development Strategy (South Africa, 2011) describes the current landscape as complex, with a distortion of supply, production, distribution and development of health personnel. The qualification is seen as imperative to promote the quality, good governance and produce well-trained, ethical operational healthcare managers in/for the province.

Healthcare professionals that begin their profession in specific disciplines, e.g. medical doctors, nurses, pharmacists and physiotherapists often move into more management-orientated positions. However, they do have the necessary theoretical knowledge and management skills. The majority of the Eastern Cape healthcare manager's field of specialisation was found to be in Nursing (23%), and only 20% of them had specialised in Health Administration (DBSA, 2012: 13). This qualification improves this trend as it offers an opportunity for all disciplines in the healthcare field to enter this qualification. Many managers from different disciplines, levels and backgrounds are taught and leave with a collective and standardised knowledge of management, therefore, improving collaboration, strategic planning and skills, for instance, financial or HR management skills.

A mixed/blended learning/distance learning platform presents this qualification to enable the learners to stay in their workplaces/practice for extended periods. This extended stay at the workplace helps employers and practitioners alike and brings down the cost for the learners and the institution.

The qualification has also become necessary as paradigmatic and technological changes have taken place in healthcare management, delivery and healthcare education. The focus on inter-profession education has come to the fore, and contextual changes have taken place within the healthcare environment. With the introduction of a more global approach to the management of health care, e.g. dealing with regional disasters and global threats, the Lancet Commission proposed in 2010 that health professionals should be educated to manage population-centred health systems. So that they can be locally responsive and be part of the globally connected teams, to achieve high-quality universal health coverage.

Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL)

The use of RPL for access because of the diversity of the learning that could have taken place in other qualifications.

RPL to gain access will be managed by an RPL Committee (a subcommittee of the Faculty Teaching and Learning, consisting of senior academics) to gain access into the faculty of Health Science. Consideration of CPD occurs such in-service modules and formal modules in management that have been undertaken by the learner. The content of the module must be relevant to health care, and the prospective learner should have been using the information in their workplace.

Learners must provide a portfolio of evidence that includes competency certificates, job descriptions, and other relevant and related material relative to the experience gained within the health care sector. This material must meet with the minimum academic standard at a level similar to NQF 7. The Faculty Management Committee decides on whether the portfolio material meets the criteria. Also, interviews will take place with learners, where they are required to present their work.

Entry Requirements

The minimum entry requirement for this qualification is

• Relevant 4-year Bachelor in Health Care or a cognate qualification, NQF Level 7.

Or

• Advanced Diploma in Health Care or a cognate qualification, NQF Level 7.

This qualification consists of the following compulsory modules at National Qualifications Framework Level 8 totalling 120 Credits.

Compulsory Modules, Level 8, 120 Credits

• Health Systems Regulation and General Management Principles in Health Care Management, 14 Credits.
• Quality Health and Clinical Care Management, 20 Credits.
• Management of Public Relations in Health Care, 10 Credits.
• Health Care Resource Management, 10 Credits.
• Self-Awareness and Personal Development for Health Care Managers, 10 Credits.
• Operational Financial Management, 10 Credits.
• Management of Human Resource in Health Care, 16 Credits.
• Research Methodology Related to Health Care, 10 Credits.
• Research Project or Technical Report Related to Health Care, 20 Credits.

1. Express and integrate knowledge and creative engagement in/of health care systems, regulations and apply ethical management principles in decision making.
2. Undertake reflection of current thinking, practices and research by interrogating multiple sources of information and knowledge in health management.
3. Demonstrate a high level of theoretical engagement and intellectual independence and relate knowledge and principles to a range of contexts to manage health care organisations, people, finances and resources and to solve problems within the health sector.
4. Generate reports on various aspects of health management directly related to the workplace to transform or improve functioning in that area.
5. Present and communicate creative insights and effective solutions regarding health care management in different contexts.
6. Operate effectively within the health care system and demonstrate accountability for decisions in health care management.
7. Explain how they manage other health professionals' development needs.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 1

• Explain the organisation of different health care systems and work.
• Discuss the legislative framework that regulates health systems.
• Debate different management theories.
• Discuss the principles of good governance and management.
• Explain how health data can be used to make sound management decisions.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 2

• Identify relevant sources of information and knowledge in health management.
• Analyse and evaluate the sources of information and the data itself, using the recommended methods.
• Apply conclusions to learning.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 3

• Choose to study relevant and significant topics and literature in health management.
• Identify, compare and contrast different perspectives in the field of health management.
• Evaluate perspectives on health management concerning their contexts.
• Apply conclusions to solving challenges of health management.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 4

• Identify the purpose(s), aims and objectives of each report.
• Describe the structure of the report in terms of its purpose(s), aims and objectives.
• Explain the method(s) of investigation/analysis.
• Summarise and analyse the findings of the investigation.
• State the conclusions and recommendations for the purpose(s) of the report.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 5

• Identify relevant challenges of health care management in different contexts.
• Generate, explain and justify the creative solutions to the challenges.
• Present the solutions to interested audiences.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 6

• List and describe your financial responsibilities in terms of a job description and conditions of service.
• Describe how you fulfil your Entrusted Professional Activities (EPI) or other responsibilities in terms of the decisions made.
• Identify and explain circumstances that might inhibit/prevent managers from fulfilling their responsibilities.
• Identify and explain circumstances in the work environment that needs change/improvement to enable managers to improve their work.
• Evaluate own performance of their jobs in terms of the existing job description and the decisions/actions taken by them.

Associated Assessment Criteria for Exit Level Outcome 7

• Summarise the main job responsibilities of each category of staff.
• Evaluate their performances in terms of their job descriptions.
• Identify any challenges that might prevent them from fulfilling their responsibilities.
• Identify how they could develop professionally.
• Explain how the manager could enable them to develop professionally.
• Organise and implement a programme to help them develop professionally.
• Evaluate how their performance improves as a result of your intervention.

Integrated Assessment

Evaluation in the qualification is through both formative and summative assessments. Formative assessment is principally through assignments, analysis of current and relevant public sector scenarios and or case studies.

Summative assessments include class tests and examinations, which require learners to demonstrate knowledge of concepts, their use and application in the health care environment.