Hospital administration as a profession

Abstract

Many benefits accrue to an occupation that is described as a “profession,” including the ability to influence public debate, such as the current one over health policy in the United States. The label of profession frequently enhances the status, prestige, power, and legitimacy of an occupation, which usually translates into additional resources and power. This article examines the current status of the occupation—hospital administration—with respect to the literature pertaining to the concept of a profession. Hospital administration is assessed in terms of its relation to three common attributes associated with professions: collegial traits, knowledge base, and service orientation. The analysis indicates that there are important obstacles to be overcome before hospital administration can be considered a profession based on these three attributes.