Leadership competencies of medical managers in Russia

For decades, medical management and leadership has been a sensitive topic worldwide. While Western European countries and the USA have a considerable tradition of studying leadership competencies in healthcare, the literature review of Russian sources identified a gap in this area. Consequently, the present study aims at developing a leadership competency model of Russian medical managers in order to help medical workers better understand their responsibilities. The work was commissioned with two state budgetary medical organizations X and Y located in Saint-Petersburg. The research utilized qualitative methods with an inductive approach. The study combined both theoretical and empirical researches. The theoretical part included literature review of reliable secondary sources on the topics of general and healthcare leadership, and competency identification. The primary data collection was conducted through personal structured in-depth interviews and an online qualitative survey. The sample included six medium-level and three high-level medical managers. The analysis is accomplished within Thematic and Framework Approaches and with the use of Weft QDA software. The resultant competency model consists of three domains: people-oriented approach, teamwork, and clinical supervision that are further divided into ten competencies. The study concluded that Russian medical managers are involved in leadership activities. Further, it highlighted the importance of people-oriented approach to leadership, and the development of psychological and clinical skills. The study shows general correlation with foreign researches and competency models. The difference includes new personal qualities such as stamina, perseverance, and painstaking approach. The work context in Russia is distinguished by the lack of resources, and the influence of gender and aggression