Improving institutional performance by better internal hospital management: a framework for assessing management training needs.

In the face of diverse contexts in the world's regions and countries, decentralization and increasing autonomy of hospitals are an important trend in hospital sector development. Substantial gains in institutional performance can be achieved through better internal hospital management. The article examines hospital managers' functions and practices and outlines a framework for assessing their management education needs. We argue that training is most appropriate if targeted at improving managerial competence within a specific health system development context.