The Role of Communication in the Strategic Planning Processes in a Health Care Oganization - Term Paper Example

The development of a strategy or a program, the majority of the time, is a case for change. The change can be for the development of an existing service or the introduction of an entirely new service and it can involve minor or major changes. But irrespective of what kind of change is being brought in organizational strategy, it will definitely make an impact on the quality of care (Rowe, 2008)

Communication plays a very important role not just in the implementation process but also in the strategic and program planning process. Health care organizations have very few products and in all probability are completely based on the service offered which is wholly dependent on the human resources of the organization. It is the employees at the bottom level who have hands-on experience of what the problems are at the most basic level than those at the top management of the company. Their inputs during the strategic and program planning process can be vital. Also, it is the employees at the bottom level who are responsible for the actual implementation of the strategy and program designed by the top management.

Communication need not be one-sided but needs to be an interactive process where there is the exchange of views and ideas. Active participation and effective communication among all stakeholders (internal to the organization) can be the difference between designing an effective strategy and a mediocre one. Also even more important is the role that effective communication can play in the process of identifying the areas that are problematic and need to be addressed. Hence, communication channels must be created between the employees at the basic level and those at the top for the formulation of an effective strategy.

Now moving on to the implementation phase of the strategy and programs, communication plays an even more important role. As mentioned earlier, any organizational strategy is a case of change, and change is always met with resistance from employees. Employees at all levels need to be communicated the purpose and need for the change. Also, what the change in strategy could mean to the employees and how it can improve their job performance. It is only when employees identify with and understand the intent and need for the change in strategy or a program that their full cooperation can be expected and this is vital for the overall success of the strategy.

A health care organization has numerous functional units and the broader organization strategy will not be able to cater to the different needs of each of these units. A broader organizational strategy must be used as a reference and a strategy must be prepared by the managers and the stakeholders of each functional area that would best suit the function. There are two main criteria that need to be considered here. One, the functional area strategy must be in accordance with and mesh with the wider organizational plan. Two, it must be in sync with the plans of the other functional areas (Moseley, 2009). The role of communication is vital in the process. Effective communication between stakeholders of the functional areas and that of the wider organizations is essential to meet the first criteria. A more important one is the communication between stakeholders of the different functional areas. Failure here will prove to be costly and damaging in the wide scheme of things. The broader organization strategy will be a failure if communication channels cannot be established among the different internal stakeholders of the organization.

There are various key elements that are necessary for bringing about successful organizational strategy change and they are motivating change, creating a vision, developing support, managing the transition, and sustaining momentum (French & Bell 1999). Communication plays a vital role in all these elements. Be it motivating employees, creating a vision, or developing support communication is the key. The absence of communication channels and effective communication will result in the failure of the above elements.

The main challenges that a health organization faces with respect to communication are:

• To align the scope and extent of the organizational strategy, and implementation approach with that of the values and principles of the workforce (Jones 2008).
• Establishing communication channels among different functional areas
• Encourage active participation of employees in the formulation and implementation process of strategy
• Motivating employees and developing their support for organizational change (strategy)

Based on the analysis and understanding of the role of communication in the strategy and program planning process in health care organizations, the following recommendations are made:

• Develop communication channels across the organization that can facilitate organizational strategy. Interpersonal and organizational channels must be established such as one-to-one communication, groups, debates, lectures, workshops, etc.
• Use models such as PDSA (plan, do study, act) models to improve communication across the organization.
• Design the broader organizational strategy and then allow functional area managers and employees to develop functional area plans and strategies.

Communication plays an important role in the strategy and program planning process in a health care organization. The absence of effective communication can result in the failure of an organizational strategy irrespective of how good the strategy is. Only when the purpose and need of the organization strategy are communicated to the employees, their active participation can be expected.