Healthcare Strategic Management Plan

How Strategic Thinking and Planning affect the Internal and External Environments of the Assisted Living Facility

It should be known that there some policies and trends that are present in the Assisted Living Facility. In this case, when dealing with the issue of trends, they are associated with how the elderly are taken care off. Some of these trends include seeking care abroad in nations such as Mexico because the American ALF’s are becoming quite expensive. Another trend is seen in the changes concerning the latest designs of the ALF. The design is continuing to change to accommodate the ever-changing needs of the elderly. The emerging policy issues are those that deal with coming up with ways through, which the labor force can be maintained, trained and recruited. It also deals with how certain services can be given to the physically challenged and the elderly as well as their families, and the people responsible for delivering them. The last policy is concerned about the people that handle the payment of the long-term care (Kane, 2001).

It is vital to be informed about the policies, premises, business and economic conditions as well as other related forces. It is because they are known to form the basis for the generation of change in the Assisted Living Facility. In addressing the issue of economic and business conditions, most times the ALF are affected by the prevailing economy, and thus they have to increasetheir prices. For example, they can increase the admission fees, and this will affect the number of individuals that will want to receive care. When it comes to the issue of business conditions, certain regulations can make it difficult to operate such as obtaining licenses. Furthermore, the ALF’s tend to be located in good and appropriate premises that are conducive to the physically challenged and elderly. Lastly, the policies that exist are meant to ensure that standards are upheld for the benefit of all the concerned stakeholders (Moore, 2001).

Some issues tend to revolve around policy analysis and health care management in the assisted living facilities. First, with regards to policy analysis, it has to take place on a routine basis for it to be successful. It means that the existing policies have to be analyzed to know if they are contributing towards the success of the ALF. For example, if a policy about training the labor exists, it means that training has to take place. If this is not taking place, the policy can be revised to make the training mandatory. In the issue of health care management, the ALF should ensure that the health of people seeking help is given priority. It will be possible to do this if the staff has the needed knowledge and skills to perform their job (Bowblis, 2012).

In conclusion, various markets exist in the Assisted Living Facility, and they include those that serve the elderly and the physically challenged. It means that the ALF serve the two different markets and thus are unique. It is also vital to note that certain determinants such as demand and supply are present in the two markets. In the elderly market, if many people are aged, it means that the supply will be high to accommodate their needs. To add on, in the market that serves the physically challenged, the supply and demand will be high depending on the number of disabled individuals and assisted living facilities that can serve their needs.

References

Bowblis, R. (2012). Market Structure, Competition from Assisted Living Facilities, and Quality in the Nursing Home Industry. Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, 2, 28, doi: 10.1093/aepp/.

Kane, R. (2001). Long-Term Care and a Good Quality of Life: Bringing Them Closer Together. The Gerontologist, 41, 3,293-304.

Moore, J. (2001). Assisted Living Strategies for Changing Markets. New York: Westridge Publishing.