BOOKS OF RtfiDIfGS - PAHO/WHO

-3.
The format of the workshop was organized to allow partici-
pants to expound on their perceptions of the problems involved
in the training of Latin American health administrators in
management science techniques. This enabled the group to form
a concensus viewpoint from which specific problems could then
be addressed, and recommendations formulated. These concerns
can be summarized as follows: 2
A. Health Concerns
1. Physicians, wbo are the health decision makers,
do not have knowledge of the technical tools of systems analysis
and operations research. As a result, decisions are made on
subjective and political bases without benefit of quantitative
methodologies and information.
2. There is a parallel need for the development and
utilization of information systems in approaching health systems'
problems. At present decisions are constantly being made without
information at both the national and local levels.
3. Middle managers require a knowledge of descriptive
statistics, systems analysis and evaluation techniques to im-
prove tLcir effectiveness.
4. Public health administrators bave viewed those
students being trained in management science techniques as a
threat. This has led to the deterioration of training eiforta
in at least one country (Colombia.)
5. Effective teaching must be geared to demonstrating
to health administrators how to apply methodologies to their
2 For a specific example see: Carlos Perez, Improving the Managerial
Capabilit'y of the Colombian Health System, May, 1981,
included in the Appendix.