Enhancing Health Management Literacy and Competence Among Students: Preparing Professional Hospital Administrators for Indonesia's Health Transformation Era

Abstract

The transformation of the health system in Indonesia necessitates a workforce possessing adequate health management literacy and competence, particularly among students aspiring to become hospital administrators. This initiative aims to enhance students' health management literacy and competence through education and by strengthening their understanding of hospital management functions, leadership, healthcare service governance, patient safety, and the implementation of health policies. The methodology involved educational activities and the distribution of questionnaires to 43 students to assess their level of understanding, learning needs, and perceptions regarding the health management competencies required in the era of Indonesia's health transformation. Data were analyzed descriptively using frequency distributions and percentages to characterize the respondents' literacy and competence levels. The results indicate that while the majority of students possess a good understanding of the importance of health management, certain areas require further strengthening—specifically hospital financial management, health policy, organizational leadership, and data-driven decision-making. The educational activities received a positive response from participants and were deemed effective in broadening students' insights and enhancing their readiness to tackle the increasingly complex challenges of hospital management. Thus, improving health management literacy and competence serves as a crucial strategy for preparing professional and adaptive hospital administrators capable of supporting the success of Indonesia's health transformation.

Keywords: health literacy; management competence; hospital administrator; students; Indonesia's health transformation.