Health Care and Strategic Planning

Need separate word documents for each.

1.   Discussion

During the first year or two of its existence, what reasons are there for a small-town nursing home to engage in any sort of strategic planning? This is a time when the venture’s resources are stretched to the limit and all its attention is focused on reaching bed capacity with admitting new residents. Are there any disadvantages for the organization if it fails to think about long-term strategy? Explain why.

2.   Thinking Strategically

Health care professionals need to answer at least three essential questions when thinking strategically about their organization's present circumstances and future prospects:

• Where is the organization now? This question focuses on the current business of the organization, the patient segments that the organization caters to, and the current strategy of the organization.
• Where does the organization want to go? This question focuses on the organization's vision and aspirations.
• How will the organization get there? This question focuses on the strategic moves required to fulfill the mission, vision, and values of the organization and its broad set of strategic goals.

You are the office manager of a 12-person medical office. Write an e-mail message to the owners of the clinic on how the organization could answer these three questions. Specifically, your e-mail should include the following:

• How should the organization determine its state of affairs?
• How should the organization establish its goals?
• Who should participate in the strategic planning process and why?
• What possible strategies can the organization adopt to achieve the established goals?

Your e-mail message should be no more than two pages long in a Microsoft Word document and in current APA edition format.