The term strategic plan is not new at ARH, but why exactly do we develop these plans?
The purpose of strategic planning is to set overall goals for our health system and develop a plan to achieve them. It involves stepping back from our day-to-day operations and asking where we are headed and what our priorities should be. These plans are like roadmaps that clearly define the best route for our organization to take in the years ahead while also allowing flexibility to address and overcome any hurdles we may encounter along the way.
Putting time into a well-thought out strategic plan positions our company for growth and continued stability by establishing our direction and sharpening our focus on how we get there. Much has been accomplished in the three years since the development of our existing strategic plan. However, in healthcare, the needs of the communities we serve are ever changing. It is crucial that we continue to look at how we need to grow to meet those needs and what we hope to accomplish over the next several years.
In preparation for our new strategic plan, ARH has partnered with DHG Healthcare to advise and support with the development of this new plan. DHG Healthcare’s consulting practice is sharply focused on the critical business issues facing healthcare organizations in today’s changing industry environment.
Over the next 5-6 months we will work to develop a system-wide strategic plan that will incorporate input from as many levels of the organization as feasible, including but not limited to clinicians, front line staff, middle management, facility leaders, system leaders, board members, and community members. Having these valuable ARH stakeholders involved in the planning process ensures everyone is on the same page when the execution phase of the plan begins.
This new strategic plan will address the needs of existing facilities, service lines, employees, and communities in the context of a rapidly changing healthcare industry and unique, local influences while also initiating the pursuit of new services, initiatives, and standards.
There is much work to accomplish in a short amount of time. We ask that those directly involved keep an open mind and be flexible and understanding of our tight deadline in developing this new strategic plan. Some of you will be asked for input in the upcoming months and we encourage you to be open and honest as we take a very important look at our strengths, weaknesses, threats and opportunities to build a plan that will keep our ARH system viable in the years to come.
We will have additional updates as we move forward with this important process.
Joseph L. Grossman,
President & CEO, Appalachian Regional Healthcare
