The first task of the expert panel was to group responses to the questionnaires
into the following six major problem areas affecting the future of Christian
hospitals:
1. Problems related to
lack of vision and leadership:
• hospitals lack a mission, vision, or statement that reflects current
realities;
• the Church does not see health as part of its mission, thus there
is no shared vision;
• the mission is unclear, the goals are unrealistic/unfit for today's
needs;
• shared visions and holistic understanding are lacking among Church,
mission agency, and health care agencies;
• clear management guidelines and frequent updates are lacking;
• expectations for high standards of care are not being met;
• true partnership and shared vision among all hospital staff are lacking.
2. Problems related to
staffing hospitals:
• training of administrators and leaders is lacking;
• preparation and training do not match the needs;
• communities lack knowledge to provide health care;
• institutional Western models may not be sustainable in non-Western
cultures;
• understanding of health determinants by those implementing Christian
health ministries is low.
3. Problems related to
the relationship with the community:
• there is a lack of community ownership;
• communities are not invited to participate, thus cannot properly
relate to hospital ministries;
• communication between Church and government hospitals is poor;
• hospitals are unable to empower their communities;
• ownership by the stakeholders does not exist.
4. Problems related to
resources and finances:
• communities are looking for free health care;
• the Church does not support hospitals (lack of financial support);
• the Church sees hospitals as a source of income;
• foreign church agencies want to maintain control through funding;
• foreign church agencies decrease total funding;
• hospitals are operating at a financial loss;
• affordability of health services are decreasing due to poverty;
• alternative resources for appropriate health care are needed;
• competition with and loss to other institutions for patients,
• political instability and lack of or decreased political will by
governments lead to lowered commitment to health care;
• foreign church agencies create dependency in their funding strategies;
• expatriates do not share knowledge of international connections to
funding resources.
5. Problems related to
cultural conflicts:
• expatriates are culturally insensitive and often too vocal;
• there are cultural conflicts between Western and traditional medicine;
• the Church interferes in hospital leadership and administration;
• hospitals are not sensitive to community needs;
• expatriates lack in planning and transfer of leadership (many times
transfers have been done at the convenience of the expatriate agency).
6. Problems related to
technology:
• Western technology is used inappropriately;
• hospitals have become so dependent on Western technology that they
cannot function when things break down or are no longer affordable;
• technology and needs are mismatched (there is little or no consideration
of what is an appropriate level of technology).
