Ask the Expert: Directing a Decision Support Department

Question: I am the director of accounting for a mid-size hospital. My future goal is to also direct the decision support department either here or at another facility. What can I do to prepare myself for that role?

A: Key competencies from a decision support perspective are very similar to most management roles in an organization:

• Ability to synthesize information quickly and accurately.
• Ability to understand customer needs and meet them within negotiated timeframes.
• Understanding of organizational competencies and resources and ability to leverage them wisely.
• Understanding of multiple technology platforms available and ability to build information sources when not present.
• Ability to listen to customers, and deliver information in a user friendly format, meeting the customer at their skill level

Short answer: Understanding how to work with others and meet their needs, as well as an overall understanding of technology available to meet their needs are the two key competencies.

Todd Nelson, technical director, HFMA, answered this question ([email protected]).