Methodology to evaluate the management competence of health care managersas an indicator of the client orientation level of a medical organization

The aim of this paper is to develop and to test an approach for assessment of management competencies of health care managers as an indicator of the client orientation level of a medical organization (by the example of Moscow head doctors). The design of the study includes two equally important stages. The first stage presents quantitative analysis methods, there was conducted a case study (survey) with the participation of 31 head doctors on the basis of a developed questionnaire. The second stage presents qualitative research methods - in-depth interviews (with 14 head doctors) using psycho-projective tests to assess the level of managerial competencies. As a result, a personal and professional portraits of heal care managers were made. The study found that the current head doctors are rather responsible and diligent executives than strategic managers. Despite the good clinical training, lack of management, finance and marketing knowledge was revealed. These gaps prevent carrying out the work to improve the client orientation of a medical organization and attraction of new patients within the compulsory health insurance system. This is due to the lack of targeted training for health care managers in a higher medical education. As a result, proposals on overcoming the barriers to the formation of a new type of head doctors were made. Results can be used by educational institutions of postgraduate medical education.