Clinicians as managers: Organisational change at the Illawarra Regional Hospital

Abstract

In 1990 a decision was made to merge the Port Kembla (160 beds) andWollongong (290 beds) Hospitals into the Illawarra Regional Hospital and tochange the traditional functional management structure to one of product lineinstitute management, with medical officers as part-time clinical directors. Thistransformation in health care management had been occurring in other sections ofthe Illawarra Area Health Service, with medical directors of programs and with alliedhealth and nursing heads of departments throughout the system.A survey was conducted among 22 clinician managers for their impressionsof the ?new? management organisation. The respondents felt that the change hadbeen a positive one and that it had particularly improved communication andaccountability among clinicians.