USAF Hospital Administrator Management Indicator Information Requirements.

Hospital administration is a complex and dynamic managerial field. Air Force medical facility administrators face many of the same challenges as their civilian counterparts, especially regarding provision of quality health care in the face of cost containment. As with their civilian counterparts, these managers need timely and accurate information to perform effectively. One possible method of providing accurate and timely information to Air Force medical facility administrators is a standardized reporting system which can be tailored to individual of facility requirements. With such a system, administrators new to their positions would have access to key indicator information immediately, yet could refine the system as their unique managerial needs developed. Any such system needs to be based on management indicators common to most Air Force medical facility administrators. A literature-supported questionnaire method is used in this research to determine possibly common key management indicators for USAF Hospital Administrations. The 52 USAF Hospitals surveyed constitute the largest population of Air Force medical facilities with a common size and mission. Questionnaire emphasis is one the four primary administrative areas common to all Air Force medical facilities. Questionnaire responses are analyzed as to respondent demographics, frequency distributions of ratings, and difference between ratings by experience levels. Twenty-eight information items are identified as highly valued by respondents. These items are potentially common management indicators for USAF Hospital Administrators.