ABSTRACT
Healthcare is a complex, dynamic industry. To survive, provider organizations need strong effective leaders and managers. This chapter considers the leadership and management of health IT efforts in LTPAC settings. It addresses the fundamentals of leadership before addressing the role of today's IT manager. Business leadership is a popular topic in the academic and popular press. The chapter focuses on arguably the two most significant organizational functions of a leader: setting a strategy, and championing culture. An effective strategic plan includes brief statements reflecting the leader's description of the organization's mission, values, vision, and goals. Leaders reinforce the desired culture of the organization by "living out" the organizational values in front of their employees. The chapter offers a brief synopsis of management principles, and describes three major areas of management: managing operations, managing staff, and managing external relationships.
