As we near the end of the year, many of the healthcare organizations we work with are beginning to look forward and plan for 2024. Part of this planning is updating, or even creating, a strategic plan. Strategic planning can be defined as “a process used by organizations to identify their goals, the strategies necessary to accomplish those goals and the internal performance management system used to monitor and evaluate progress.” For healthcare organizations, a functional strategic plan is not only a strategic imperative but also a means to ensure long-term sustainability and impact.
Good strategic planning takes some prep work. In this month’s blog, we’re diving into the most important steps you need to take before you begin creating your strategic plan to ensure you create something well-informed, inclusive, and aligned with your mission and community needs. We’re also covering some of our top tips for drafting an effective strategic plan that will move your health center forward in 2024.
Before you Begin:
Conduct a Comprehensive Organizational Assessment:
Begin the strategic planning process by conducting a thorough assessment of your current state. This involves evaluating your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats (also known as a SWOT analysis). Assess KPIs (key performance indicators), financial health, human resources, and existing infrastructure.
Some questions to ask:
- What are your current funding sources?
- Are there any new potential funding sources, like new grants or potential partnerships?
- Are there any gaps in your current technology infrastructure?
- Do you need to plan for new and updated hardware or software?
- Can you handle your current telehealth demands with room for growth?
Understanding your internal landscape will help you identify areas for improvement as well as areas of excellence, informing strategic priorities.
Understand your community:
The foundation of any successful strategic plan lies in a deep understanding of the community’s healthcare needs. Before crafting your plan, consult with a diverse range of stakeholders, including board members, staff, patients, community leaders, and local partners. Actively engage with the community to gather insights into the population’s health challenges, cultural considerations, and socioeconomic factors. Conducting regular needs assessments, collaborating with local community organizations, and seeking feedback from patients can provide invaluable data. Hosting focus groups, town hall meetings, and surveys can also help gather valuable insights and perspectives. This community-centric approach ensures that your strategic plan will address the specific health concerns of the population you serve, fostering a more meaningful and impactful healthcare delivery model.
Assess Regulatory and Compliance Requirements:
Before formulating a strategic plan, it’s imperative to conduct a thorough review of current regulations, compliance standards, and reporting requirements. This ensures your strategic plan not only aligns with regulatory expectations but also positions your organization to navigate potential changes and challenges effectively.
Building Your Strategic Plan:
Define Clear Goals and Objectives:
You’ve done your research, and you understand your organization’s current position, what your community needs from you, and what rules you need to follow as you grow. Now, it’s time to define specific, achievable, and time-bound objectives. These goals should align with your mission, vision, and values, as well as address the identified needs of your community. Depending on the size of your organization, you don’t want to have too many goals, and you don’t want them to be vague platitudes.
- Too vague: Expand our pediatric services
- Specific and actionable: Increase the number of patients served through our in-house pediatric clinic by 15% in the next 3 years
Clarity in goals provides a roadmap for your organization and helps you track progress effectively.
Embrace a Patient-Centric Model:
Prioritizing patient-centered care is essential for the success of any healthcare organization. As you craft your strategic plan, make sure to integrate patient perspectives, focusing on making services accessible and tailored to the unique needs of the patients you serve. Strategies to enhance patient engagement, improve communication, and streamline care delivery should be integral components of your strategic plan. By placing the patient at the center of decision-making, your organization can foster trust, improve health outcomes, and strengthen your role as a healthcare partner in the community.
Invest in Technology and Infrastructure:
Take a look at the assessment you did in the beginning and be sure to address any technology or infrastructure needs into your plan. Put those goals and changes down on paper. Leveraging technology is crucial for delivering efficient and effective care, and healthcare organizations should prioritize investments in health information systems, telehealth solutions, and data analytics tools to enhance patient care, streamline operations, and improve decision-making. Integrating technology into the strategic plan not only ensures it stays a priority for your organization, but it can also facilitate collaboration among your providers, enabling seamless communication and coordination of care. And don’t forget upgrading physical infrastructure to accommodate technological advancements is equally important for maintaining a high standard of care delivery.
Build Strong Partnerships:
Collaboration is key to the success of your healthcare organization, and building strong partnerships can significantly enhance your ability to address community health needs. As you look forward, consider growing existing partnerships, and plan for new collaborations as well. Seeking out new strategic partnerships with local healthcare providers, social service organizations, government agencies, and other community stakeholders can unlock access additional resources, share best practices, and create a more comprehensive and integrated approach to healthcare delivery. Strong partnerships also enhance your organization’s ability to navigate regulatory challenges and secure funding for critical initiatives.
Prioritize Staff Development and Engagement:
Your team is your greatest resource in growing your healthcare organization. As you build out your strategic plan, make sure to map out staff development, training, and engagement as central components. Investing in ongoing education, mentorship programs, and career advancement opportunities not only enhances the skills and satisfaction of your workforce but also contributes to improved patient outcomes. Additionally, fostering a positive and inclusive organizational culture is crucial for retaining talented staff and promoting a collaborative and patient-focused work environment.
Looking for a template to get started? We like this one from the Department of Health as a great launching pad for building your own! Or check out some of these other simple options from Smartsheet that are great for customizing to fit your needs.
Ultimately, crafting a functional strategic plan requires a holistic and community-driven approach. Putting in the work ahead of time and crafting a plan that addresses the big picture and the smaller day to day operations means you’ll be positioned to address the challenges of today’s healthcare landscape and provide high-quality, equitable, and accessible care to your community.