The Institute of Health Management Research (IHMR) had organized a seminar at to create awareness among graduates from all streams of medicine and allied sciences on hospital management as an ideal career option in the current slow down.

Healthcare executives and managers form an integral part of the complex systems of today's hospital and healthcare organizations. More than 15,000 hospital and healthcare managers are required in India as accreditation is compulsory for the hospital sector. The healthcare services sector has grown by 30 per cent from 2007 to account for 3.1 million new jobs. This sector is unaffected by the recession and hospitals offer a lucrative career in these troubled times, stated Dr Kishore Murthy, director, Institute of Health Management Research.

The National Accreditation Board for Hospitals and Healthcare (NABH) has made it mandatory for hospitals to have trained professionals for ensuring quality healthcare services. The one-year Hospital Management program from IHMR trains students to become thorough and qualified professionals, ready to handle the demanding role of partnering with doctors, nurses and other professionals in providing quality healthcare services, he added.

IHMR is now launching its seventh one year fast track post-graduate programme in Hospital Management. The course which commences in July is open to graduates from all streams of Medicine and Allied Sciences. The management of IHMR offers cent percent placement, with attractive salary packages upon successful completion of the course.

There is increasing corporate sector involvement in the healthcare services sector and that has led to a demand for hospital or healthcare management professionals. Fast track programmes such as the 11-month course from IHMR for Hospital Management, focuses on improving management and leadership skills of aspiring students, thereby working towards bridging the gap of demand in the sector.

Prof. K Venkatesh, professor, St John Medical College and Principal Advisor, Quality Council of India, emphasized that quality departments in healthcare organizations form the central hub or core of the organizations. "Trained Hospital Management professionals need to ensure that national, regional and local requirements of quality control are implemented in the hospitals. The demand for professionals is high and the career opportunities that exist are many in number," he added.

IHMR, established in 2004, is the Southern campus of Society for Indian Institute of Health Management Research. It also focuses on management research, training, consultation and institutional networking from a national and global perspective. In addition to its PG programme, management development, research projects and consultancy are also offered.