Commentary. Public health management. Time for a new start?

One of the themes of health care reform Is a renewed focus on health rather than health care. The role of the purchaser is directed towards health gain rather than merely the maintenance of health care services. This goal can only be achieved if public health specialists and health services managers work together and share skills. There is a need for public health physicians, non-clinical public health specialists and health service managers to find an intellectual focus for joint working since their respective skills are complementary. Whereas public health has looked outwards towards the health needs of the population, health care management has focused inwards on the organization of health services. The concept of public health management offers a unifying focus. It centres on the mobilization of society's resources, including those of the health service sector, to improve the health of populations through whatever means is most appropriate. Public health has suffered from a tension between knowledge and action. Public health management seeks to resolve this tension. The paper explores the concept of public health management, analyses the skills required for its successful practice and considers the training programmes required to develop public health managers. The authors call on European organizations to champion the concept of public health management.