Health Management Is for Managers

“Preventive Medicine” (March 10) raises some very critical questions for all health-care providers, the health-care system itself and every single consumer.

As a principal in an international health-care consulting and management organization, our firm acts as consultants to and managers of various kinds of health-care providers.

I am surrounded by physicians both in my family, among friends and clients, and recently in MBA classes in leadership, management and marketing that I teach. I believe that a physician’s primary mission in his or her professional life is to practice medicine and provide the best possible medical care to patients.

All organizations and businesses go through a process of evolution. Health-care delivery is no exception, and it has evolved into a business that must be managed. Physicians must dedicate their lives to continued learning in medicine and becoming better doctors. It is the function of seasoned, experienced and professional managers and executives to manage.

What I heard in the article was a great deal of underlying frustration and anger at the entire system and the need for economic survival. It boils down to the loss of power and control.

The specialists are angry because of their substantial drop in income. Primary-care physicians, who for so long have been looked down upon by specialists, are now in a position of control as gatekeepers and in the highest demand. To address all this anger and frustration is born the executive MBA in health care, such as the program at UC Irvine offers.

Physicians should be devoting the same energy to becoming better doctors and leave the management and marketing to proven executives and managers. What we need are harmony, teamwork and a trusting relationship between physicians and professional managers.

GERARD D. MUTTUKUMARU

Principal

Markley Group Inc.

San Bernardino