Wrong to say all doctors are bad managers

Letters, Normal

IT is interesting to read that Mt Hagen General Hospital chairman Brain Kimins, nurses, some doctors and other people from various spectrums of lives supporting the appointment of a non-clinician as chief executive officer of the country’s biggest hospital, the Port Moresby General Hospital.
Their main reason was that previous appointments of clinicians, particularly medical doctors, to this position have seen a decline in the overall management of the hospital.
What they are saying is that “doctors had their chance to occupy the top post but have proven incapable of delivering the management the hospital demands”.
Therefore, they believe that a non-clinician as is the current appointment is the best way forward for the hospital.
Whether that is true or not depends on how you see the issue.
However, it would be wrong to generalise and say that all doctors are not good managers.
That is, in my opinion, totally unacceptable and deplorable under any circumstances.
We have highly qualified clinicians and doctors who are capable of running POMGH.
But to generalise them as incompetent managers is totally disrespectful to the retired, serving and potential clinicians and doctors.

 

Sprox Walker
Port Moresby