Creating the strategic future of long-term-care organizations.
The operating environment in the health care industry is turbulent--organizations are expected to adapt or die. This paper addresses the structure of a strategic planning process for long-term-care organizations. Nursing homes, assisted living (personal care) facilities, continuing care retirement communities, adult day services centers, hospice programs and home- and community-based agencies face both opportunities and threats. The authors recommend an eight-step process for strategy making: plan to plan; external analysis; internal analysis; vision; matching current and future strategies; strategy choice; action and linkage to operations and budget. A case example illustrates the concepts. Long-term-care leaders are encouraged to plan for their future or face a future planned by competitors and regulators.
Mara
C M
CM
Penn State University, School of Public Affairs, Graduate Program in Health Care Administration, Middletown 17057, USA.
Ziegenfuss
J T
JT
D006275:Health Facility Planning; D006801:Humans; D008134:Long-Term Care / Q000458:organization & administration*; D009937:Organizational Objectives; D014481:United States