Measures for Proper Strategic Planning in the Healthcare Sector - Essay Example

Strategic Planning provides answers to the following questions like what is our capa What can we do What are the problems that we have to address What difference we want to make Which critical issues we must respond Where should we allocate our resources and what should be our utmost priorities (Shapiro, n.d, p.3) The basic objective of strategic planning is to understand the benefits, the products, and learning the keys to successful planning and implementation of the strategy. In the process of preparing effective strategic planning, some products like environmental issues and trends, mission statement, general objectives and strategies are developed, evaluated and refined.

(Ahoy, 1998 3) Some of the elements that lay down obstacles in the effective implementation of strategic planning are lack of employee alignment, commitment, inflexible planning systems and difficulties in processing the data, no data to support the decision and lack of imagination to support strategic planning (Edwards, 2009, p. 11) Johnson (20025-8) and Thisayakorn (n.d 4-6) have identified poor communication, failure to motivate leaders, no plan behind the idea, passive management, possessiveness, etc.

as some of the obstacles in effective implementation of the strategy plan. In order to implement the strategic planning in a successful manner, the management should consider aligning employees with good communication, involvement, education, consequence management, time to time rewards, have vision clarity, leverage leadership, and communicating at different levels with other key stakeholders. During the period of resistance, develop clear vision and mission; identify the key personnel and giving them the leadership to handle the issue, identifying and analyzing stakeholder benefits and then passing it to the stakeholders along with the strategy and action plan which will increase their commitment in the implementation of the strategic planning (Edwards, 2009, p. 17-19). The particular features in healthcare planning are unique role of medical profession, complexity of healthcare, nature of community expectations and values associated with health.

Moreover health planning is concerned about improving health which makes the planning further divided into planning concerned with public health and the other focusing on improved health service delivery (Edwards, 2009, p. 12 - 13) The obstacles and impediments in healthcare strategic planning like defining health and the role of different groups like doctors, administrative staff, consumers in the management process, etc. could be overcome by reorganizing its strengths and weaknesses and resolving short and long term goals and challenges, vision clarity, aligned performance and culture, stakeholder commitment and increased change capability by training and resources.

(Edwards, 2009, p. 25) Reference 1. Ahoy C. (1998) Strategic Planning, Facilities Planning and Management, 3, Iowa State University, FP&M World Class Journey, www.fpm.iastate.edu/worldclass/strategic_planning.asp 2. Edwards, I. (2009). 'Introduction to Block 2 - Health Care Planning' in 7301PBH Week 11 Lecture Notes, p. 17-19; Griffith University, Brisbane 3. Edwards, I. (2009). 'The Strategic Planning Process' in 7301PBH Week 11 Lecture Notes, p. 12-13, 25; Griffith University, Brisbane. 4. Johnson P. (2002) The Top Five Reasons Why Strategic Plans Fail, 5-8, Business know-how, Retrieved on October 5, 2009 from http://www.

businessknowhow.com/manage/splanfail.htm 5. Shapiro J. (n.d) Strategic Planning Toolkit, CIVICUS: World Alliance for Citizen Participation, 1-53, Retreived October 5, 2009, from http://www.civicus.org/new/media/Strategic%20Planning.pdf 6. Thisayakorn (n.d) The reasons why strategic planning fails, HubPages, Retrieved on October 5, 2009, from http://hubpages.com/hub/reasons-why-strategic-planning-fails