Dual roles, divided skills: exploring business management challenges among healthcare practitioners

In South Africa, healthcare practitioners run their private practices, balancing the role of clinicians and business owners. While their clinical skills are shaped through formal education, business management skills are largely absent. This study explores the business challenges faced by practitioners without formal business education. Using a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with twenty practitioners across several disciplines. Thematic analysis revealed four key themes: (1) business management challenges, (2) lack of preparedness, (3) adaptive strategies and support systems and (4) the need for training. Participants reported difficulty with financial planning, marketing and compliance, relying heavily on trial-and-error, informal mentorship, outsourcing and digital tools. Notably, nineteen out of twenty participants expressed a strong demand for structured and practical training tailored to the realities of healthcare practitioners. The study highlights the urgent need for embedding business management education into healthcare curricula to ensure sustainable and well-managed practices.