Planning and Strategy

The effective functioning of healthcare organizations, to a significant extent, depends on the effective functioning of their management. In this respect, healthcare organizations do not differ from any other organizations. Hence, they have to develop basic managerial functions which determine the effectiveness of the management of organizations, among which it is possible to single out strategic planning as one of the major functions of management. On the other hand, healthcare organizations are unique and different from other organization. This is why, while developing and planning management strategies in healthcare organizations, it is necessary to take into consideration specificities of these organizations, such as a possibility of compliances and the necessity to satisfy the compliances of patients.
First of all, it should be said that compliances constitute an essential part of the functioning of healthcare organization. In fact, as any other organizations, healthcare organizations are susceptible to the risk of errors made by healthcare professionals that lead to negative outcomes for the health of patients. The reasons for such errors may vary consistently, from the low professional level of healthcare specialists to the lack of information about the patient’s health. Nevertheless, whatever the reason is patients have the right to complaint in case of inappropriate treatment and other cases defined in the existing legislative norms and acts (Glasel, 2007). In such a situation, healthcare organizations should plan carefully compliances because, as a rule, compliances lead to considerable financial losses of healthcare organizations. Consequently, it is necessary to come prepared for compensation to patients and a part of funds of healthcare organizations should be available to meet the complaints of patients. In this respect, it is worth mentioning the fact that scarce financial resources of many healthcare organizations increase the importance of complaints planning because careful planning decreases the loss of funds or ineffective use of scarce funds of healthcare organizations (Allen, 2002). In such a way, complaint planning increases the effectiveness of management of healthcare organizations.
Furthermore, it should be said that strategic planning is a very important managerial function since it influences not only complaints planning but it affects the performance of an organization at large. To put it more precisely, strategic planning provides the organization with the clear objectives and means of their achievements that makes the functioning of the organization more effective. Obviously, healthcare organization can meet their objectives more effectively if they have a clear plan of actions and a set of strategies which can really help to meet the goals defined in the strategic plan.
In such a context, the strategic planning may be used effectively to plan for compliance in the healthcare setting. In this respect, it should be said that healthcare organizations can develop strategies which can help decrease the rate of compliances and, therefore, these organizations can use their funds more effectively. For instance, healthcare organizations may introduce some training programs or improve their public relations that will strategic directions of their development that will minimize the level of compliances. Consequently, such strategic development will affect directly healthcare compliance planning.
Thus, it is obvious that strategic planning is an important managerial function, which plays a very significant role in healthcare organization because it can increase the effectiveness of their performance and partially solve problems which are specific for healthcare organizations, such as the problem of compliances.

References:
Naval Health Clinic Great Lakes. (2008). http://greatlakes.med.navy.mil/

Allen, G. (2002). Planning Process. Retrieved on August 28, 2007
from http://ollie.dcccd.edu/mgmt1374/book_contents/2planning/plng_process/plng_process.htm.

Glasel, D.P. (2007). The importance of compliance planning: compliance
planning for behavioral healthcare providers used to be a good idea--now
it's essential. Retrieved on February 27, 2007 from
http://www.entrepreneur.com/tradejournals/article/163471263.html.

McCormick, V. L. (2002). Establishing an annual compliance work plan and
periodic performance report. Journal of Health Care Compliance 4 (5),
36. Retrieved on August 28, 2007 from Proquest.

McNamara, C. (2007). Strategic Planning (in nonprofit or for-profit
organizations). Retrieved on August 28, 2007 from
http://www.managementhelp.org/plan_dec/str_plan/str_plan.htm