The Value of Strategic Planning for Healthcare Organizations, Research Paper Example

The marketing of healthcare services is essential for people in the healthcare field to survive and compete. As the cost of healthcare continues to rise, consumers are more selective with their choices between providers (Corbin & Schwartz, 2001, p. 1). Therefore, it is necessary for healthcare workers and organizations to market their services to their customers. This includes a wide range of marketing techniques that is often outsourced to a marketing firm or sometimes within the organization itself.

Because the marketing of healthcare services is imperative for the continued success of healthcare organizations, it is important to include these marketing services as part of the organization’s overall strategy. Unlike institutions that operated 20-30 years ago, healthcare organizations now mostly operate as for-profit businesses. Previously, there was really never any need for marketing programs and strategies because most operated as non-profits (Swayne & Ginter, 2012, p. 9). Now that hospitals, private offices and group practices are businesses looking to expand and increase profit, they often have entire departments responsible for its marketing.

Health care institutions also have specific departments and employees meant to oversee and implement updated  practices, regulations, financial processes, human resources, among others. Hospitals are essentially corporations, and they advertise and compete in the marketplace just as any other business, however there are certain legal and standard practices that must still be observed and upheld. Health care marketing and strategy is unique in that these organizations offer a highly skilled-service to a constantly changing, yet attentive, public that is in need. Therefore, it is imperative to keep up to date with the trends in the industry, as well as necessary to keep in mind new healthcare regulations.

Healthcare organizations routinely implement strategy plans in its operations. In a study conducted on healthcare institutions in Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota and another in San Antonio, Texas, it was agreed that strategic planning is a common and valuable function (Begun et al., 2005, p. 264 ). This was concluded by interviewing leaders in 20 various organizations, 10 in each city (Begun et al., 2005, p. 264). This study shows that leaders depend on strategic planning for their hospitals survival and implementing procedures that increases revenue in order to keep the institution healthy and profitable.

Strategic planning requires a great bit of detail in its formation, and must strive to include future plans of operation, as well as present operations. The strategic plan includes a committee of experts to implement specifics. A strategic plan would normally include an overall mission statement, statements of core values, a history and a profile of the organization that also lists its leadership teams. The next step is the planning itself, which is unique to its business and will include very detailed information regarding the practice and function of its organization. For healthcare, this could include training staff on healthcare related topics, keeping funds down while implementing new programs or hires, new marketing strategies, among other things. There are many things that can be included in these plans, and according to research conducted on the subject, it is clear that it must be executed in its entire capacity and must be consistently used and and amended when changes occur (Begun et al., 2005, p. 265). It was also concluded that having an effective strategy plan will minimize uncertainty and help the institution fit in properly with the emerging economy and healthcare market (Begun et al., 2005, p. 265).

References

Begun, J. W., Hamilton, J. A., & Kaissi, A. A. (2005). An Exploratory Study of Healthcare Strategic Planning in Two Metropolitan Areas. Journal Of Healthcare Management,      50(4), 264-274.

Corbin, C. L., Kelley, S. W., & Schwartz, R. W. (2001). Concepts in service marketing for healthcare professionals. The American Journal of Surgery, 181(1), 1-7.

Swayne, L. E., Duncan, W. J., & Ginter, P. M. (2012). Strategic management of health care organizations. John Wiley & Sons.