Analysis of Management Practice Strategic Planning: a comprehensive approach

Objective: To describe a comprehensive approach to crafting a strategic plan for a health service organisation which incorporates the pillars of: corporate governance; service master planning; facilities master planning; business planning; clinical governance; and organisational culture to provide the framework for its development and subsequent implementation. Background: As a senior heath executive spanning 25 years, the author experienced first hand the negative consequences of a health service not developing and maintaining a comprehensive contemporary strategic plan through key stakeholder engagement. Throughout subsequent appointments the author refined his approach to strategic planning and draws on these experiences to write this article. Discussion: Each of the pillars is briefly discussed for the purposes of providing a definition and a considered rationale for inclusion in a comprehensive strategic plan. As each pillar is discussed, a number of elements are identified which are considered essential inclusions in this planning framework. Five key additional considerations that must be made during the development or crafting and implementation of a health service identified and discussed. These are: multi-site organisation; functional integration; resource requirements; implementation; and monitoring the strategy. Conclusion: The crafting of a contemporary strategic plan with six inherent pillars through key stakeholder engagement is fundamental for any organisation's long-term survival. Multi-site and functional integration challenges, resource implications, implementation needs and monitoring requirements are crucial in ensuring the successful implementation of such a strategic plan. Through the development and successful implementation of such a plan, a health service organisation will have significantly greater confidence that the risks it confronts in the future are mitigated. A health service's board and its executive would have every justification to be optimistic of their ability to future proof the organisation when adopting the strategic planning approach discussed in this article.