Characteristics and educational needs of senior health service managers in Australia.

A conflict between perceived management skill and educational deficiencies led to a survey of Australian hospital chief executive officers, directors of medical services, directors of nursing, and other managers of equivalent status in an effort to improve the caliber of senior health officials in the future. The results are outlined and analyzed in this article. Although measurement of their characteristics is mainly of interest to Australians, the information on the background, process, and education for management has much wider relevance.