NURS 6241: STRATEGIC PLANNING IN HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS – Final Complete Project
Running head: STRATEGIC PLANNING 1 Addressing an Unmet Need through Strategic Planning NURS 6241: STRATEGIC PLANNING IN HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS Addressing an Unmet Need through Strategic Planning Introduction It is the expectation of any health ministry to have its professionals competent with the latest trends in technology. The motivation of this is that technology continually changes and is used in the high skilled intervention process. Henderson, Davis, Smith and King (2014) state that it is a phenomenon that is not permanent, and each day there is an emergence of one form of technology that is aimed to improve the quality of performance of a previous form of technology. Nurses and other medical practitioners are expected to, therefore, be knowledgeable of the types and varieties of technology that emerge (Cappelli, 2015). Despite this expectation, the situation is the reverse of its expectations. Based on this the paper below defines the need with a standpoint of using strategic management to address the unmet need of technological gap. Unmet Need The strategic planning process for this unmet need and gap identified would start by identification of the unmet need as well those that are directly affiliated with it. Balicer et al. (2011) state that as planning is started with needs identification, it is significant to establish the affected group that will later on in the project implementation be used in planning and intervention delivery. The mission of any health care facility is often to provide safe health care and disease intervention strategies that work towards promoting improved quality of life and value placed on the life of the patient (Henderson et al., 2014). The strategic process, therefore, translates to taking these factors, identifying the needs and coming up with a solution(s) that addresses the needs with the aim of realizing the mission and vision of health care provision. In this case study, the specific unmet need is the gap in knowledge of technological advancement. While it is expected that health care personnel to be conversant with the latest trends in technology to facilitate effectiveness of service the reality is that most of them lack these skills. It is therefore necessary for them to improve on these skills and become more proficient. Broader Issues and Stakeholder Involvement When addressing the issue, it would be critical to look at the broader issues surrounding the need. In this scenario, these are factors that include the costs associated with the project implementation, the willingness of the health care practitioner to indulge in the process of technological knowledge acquisition and the possible impact that the project will have on the organization, individual nurse, and the patients. Levin, Harper and Barr (2015,) state that the issue of technological gaps has been addressed on a case-by-case basis as opposed to uniformly among health care workers. Purnell (2014) asserts that there are no present universal policies that govern the way that professionals must handle their ignorance. After the incompetence in technology has been identified, the sorting for a solution is often left to the individual. It is therefore imperative that there be the involvement of policy makers and administrators that will see to it that the process is adequately addressed and implemented. The policy maker may be critical in offering a universal solution that covers all health professional in significant ways such as offering sponsorships and scholarships for skill development. Addressing the Need at a System’s Level Why should the identified need be addressed? The impact of unskilled nurses and other medical professionals results in a change in care delivery and quality of services (Cappelli, 2015). Just as technology is constantly evolving and making health care easier to engage in, the professionals should be well updated with these techniques. Without doing this the professional places the patients at high risk as technology use increases chances of proper health care. Better health care translates to improved care quality that eventually means improved health on the side of the patient. With such trends, it is likely that the future spells inadequacy as fewer nurses will have the necessary skills and therefore cause the shortage of qualified professionals (Henderson et al., 2014). One strategic goal, therefore, is to increase knowledge, proficiency and skills in technological awareness by the nurses within health care facilities level. Within the system, the best strategy would be used to address the need is to ensure that there is the acquisition of skills beyond the basic knowledge of professional technology. In conclusion, there is definite need to increase the level of competence in the use of technology by the nurses at the health care level. This is best identified through the changing and implementation of policies that translate to increased technological awareness. The right identification and use of policy makers is one such approach as it not only covers the institutions but tries to uniformly apply laws that will affect the entire local stakeholders who are vital in the solution phase. Finally, by analyzing the past experiences one can easily formulate an effective path to be used in addressing the inadequacies realized. References Balicer, R. D., Shadmi, E., Lieberman, N., Greenberg-Dotan, S., Goldfracht, M., Jana, L., . . . Jacobson, O. (2011). Reducing health disparities: Strategy planning and implementation in Israel’s largest health care organization. Health Services Research, 46(4), 1281–1299. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. Cappelli, P. H. (2015). Skill gaps, skill shortages, and skill mismatches: Evidence and arguments for the United States. ILR Review, 68(2), 251-290. Henderson, K., Davis, T. C., Smith, M., & King, M. (2014). Nurse practitioners in telehealth: bridging the gaps in healthcare delivery. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 10(10), 845-850. Laureate Education (Producer). (2013d). Elements of a strategic plan model [Video file]. Retrieved from https://class.waldenu.edu Lavin, M., Harper, E., & Barr, N. (2015). Health information technology, patient safety, and professional nursing care documentation in acute care settings. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 20(2). Purnell, L. D. (2014). Guide to culturally competent health care. FA Davis.
NURS 6241: STRATEGIC PLANNING IN HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS – Final Complete Project
Running head: SWOT ANALYSIS 1 SWOT Analysis: Using Advancement in Technological Skills in Addressing an Unmet Need at Green Hills Health Center NURS 6241: STRATEGIC PLANNING IN HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS Strengths Weaknesses Increased technological skills in nursing staff Expensive cost of implementation Improved care quality Time consuming Opportunities Threats Variation in type of care i.External competition from larger and well equipped facilities Larger coverage of community around facility Increased cost of care Strengths With adoption of technological advancement skills by its staff, Green Hills Health System will feature improved care delivery and better quality of handling health issues. Increased use of technology in health care does not necessarily translate to better health care, but it is a sure step towards better performance and better health care based on the type of services that the facility can offer its patients (Cappelli, 2013). Competent staff is the other strength that Green Hills Health System will have over competitors. Competence in technology use translates to faster, efficient and highly reliable services that further promote care quality. The consequence of this is that this directly translates to more satisfied patients. Weaknesses The process of knowledge acquisition involves training of staff subsequently after issue identity. The process is naturally expensive and time consumer for the institution and the staff in the project. The repercussion of this lies in fewer cases of medical intervention during the project phase and possible under-delivery as the focus will be shifted to care delivery to cover knowledge acquisition process. Sare & Ogilvie (2010) state that more technological advancement implies increased the cost of health care as well as skill attainment. If the project is not well articulated there is possibility of this weakness getting even worse by losing staff retention especially on the part of the staff that may not be able to afford skill acquisition education. Opportunity Despite the challenges that a technologically incapacitated health care organization may have there is an abundance of room for improvement such as in the case of Green Hills Health System. The opportunities take the form of better and skilled staff, training of the staff that is already available at the facility and improving care quality by offering better equipment (Henderson, Davis, Smith & King, 2014). Skill acquisition when engaged in surpasses the original goals as each day there is a chance to increase knowledge in the new skills that continue to emerge. Having the opportunity to take on staff for training and skill acquisition, therefore, increases the chances of even more advancement and discoveries for the health care staff and the health care organizations. A possible exploration of these opportunities places the team in a better position above its competitors. Threats External competition from already technologically qualified health care facilities is one significant threat. These have better quality care, more clients, and technically skilled staff that threaten resource balancing (Cappelli, 2013. The other threat to this type of health care facility is in the resource allocation and public policies on the issues of health care. Currently, knowledge acquisition is left to the particular organization and the individual to pursue. Balicer et al. (2011), state that this acts as a threat therefore as not everyone can afford the kind of health care. That being the case the opportunity and resources of knowledge enhancement are further reduced. The risk increases the weaknesses and even emphasizes them to the extent of lost hope of redemption among the resourcefully unable staff at the facility. Additionally skill increase could lead to lose of faithful patients based on increase in care provision which is a direct result of technological advancement. Technological advancement leads to improved health care quality as the quality of life is increased, and professionals can do things faster and more efficiently (Sare & Ogilvie, 2010). Much as this is the case, there are a lot of negative impacts that are foreseeable for this project. Expensive cost of health care means that fewer people will visit the facility to seek cheaper alternatives and therefore they increase the likelihood of closing these business entities Finally, the realized strengths and weakness also pose as opportunities for such health care organizations in the strategic planning process. These are opportunities in that the need for education and skill acquisition increases the need for innovation and expansion of presently existing knowledge (Henderson et al., 2014). Its strength can also pose as opportunities for better management of health care systems. Medical facilities are constantly in need of intervention methods that are safer and yet compatible with the present regimes. In conclusion, SWOT analysis of a situation, service and on this case project implementation strategic plan to get direction of where one wants to head to and the significant steps to arriving at a solution. References Balicer, R. D., Shadmi, E., Lieberman, N., Greenberg-Dotan, S., Goldfracht, M., Jana, L., . . . Jacobson, O. (2011). Reducing health disparities: Strategy planning and implementation in Israel’s largest health care organization. Health Services Research, 46(4), 1281–1299. Retrieved from the Walden Library databases. Cappelli, P. H. (2015). Skill gaps, skill shortages, and skill mismatches: Evidence and arguments for the United States. ILR Review, 68(2), 251-290. Henderson, K., Davis, T. C., Smith, M., & King, M. (2014). Nurse practitioners in telehealth: bridging the gaps in healthcare delivery. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 10(10), 845-850. Sare, M. V., & Ogilvie, L. (2010). Strategic planning for nurses: Change management in health care. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.
NURS 6241: STRATEGIC PLANNING IN HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS – Final Complete Project
Running head: BSC 1 The Balanced Score Card (BSC) NURS 6241: STRATEGIC PLANNING IN HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS The Balanced Score Card Financial Assessment The initial strategic plan for this project is to educate the nurses on the latest technologies in care delivery. According to Lavin, Harper, and Barr (2015), it has been previously established that charging the staff with personal development works more efficiently as it promotes competition. This, therefore, calls for activation of the necessity of knowledge acquisition. In addition, the facility could use things like scholarships to promote education among the more incompetent groups. These do not have to be provided for by the care facility as there can be the engagement of external donors due to them being expensive. As there is a possibility of policy making and changing in the project, there is the need to get funds from the government under the ministry of health care. These sources of funds will ensure that there are adequate financial resources to promote knowledge acquisition (Goetsch & Davis, 2014). Key Performance Indicators Increased remuneration due to increased technological skill: Initial average pay for a nurse with basic information on skills is assumed to be $95,000 with the project being implemented this would be raised to $125,000. Increased training costs at the beginning of the project: Total training cost from beginning to end of project implementation and assessment is projected at $15,000. Justification of process The one thing that stands out on the balanced scorecard is the expenses associated with the training. There will be need for more training and under the compromise there may be need for substitute nurses if the number of unskilled nurses is high. The impact of this is the increase in the amount to be invested in the project. The project involves formal training and hiring of professionals for the training sessions. The anticipated impact of this is increased quality of care. Customer Assessment Increased technological skills for the nurses affect the customer intake directly. There will be a faster and more efficient way of doing things. More specifically the adoption of the initiative promotes electronic health management and implementation. The impact of this is the efficiency in services. From the strategy implementation therefore results into more customers. Green Hills Care System will be able to accommodate the elderly patients and reduce the number of referrals caused by lack of technical knowledge by the nurses at the facility. Key Performance Indicators Increased positive feedback from the patients: This is reflected in the new admission rates below. Increased return based on satisfaction as opposed to by chance: This is reflected in the new admission rates below. Positive survey feedback Increase in new admissions: Initial admission is at 2340 patients monthly. It is anticipated that with the project being successfully implemented this figure would increase to 2700 patients a month. Justification of process The return of investment justifies the investment. At the end of the day facilities undertake product – system upgrade and personnel training for the purpose of improving services (Levin et al., 2015). The services are then later gauged against the rate of satisfaction and the number of clients that attend the facility over a given time period. From the SWOT analysis, there was the opportunity in making the most of the community around the hospital. Having explored that, the balanced scorecard is to indicate the change in figure form. When put in figures there should be a difference between usual attendance and the number of new admissions as well as referrals. Internal Processes Assessment regardless the kind of changes that an organization makes, there is bound to be interruption and involvement of internal business processes. Purnell (2014) states that health care organizations are no different and they too symbolize the desperation to make the most of the organization and boost revenue while still focusing on the client. Change is carried out such as in the case of Green Hills with their primary motivation being development. For this specific project there will be targets the nurses without technical skills in their work. Due to large numbers there will need to be more than enough business interruption and consequently affecting the business process. Key Performance Indicators Minimal process interruption: Easy and smooth operational transitions with patient being assisted appropriately without need for transfers and referrals. Limited notice-ability of the changes in the system Assimilation of present systems to facilitate in the accommodation of the changes Increased staff duties: Change from basic duties to increase in responsibilities. Possible replacement by temporary staff: due to the need for training. Justification of process With adoption of technological advancement skills by its staff, Green Hills Health System will feature improved care delivery and better quality of handling health issues. Increased use of technology in health care does not necessarily translate to better health care, but it is a sure step towards better performance and better health care based on the type of services that the facility can offer its patients (Cappelli, 2013). Competent staff is the other strength that Green Hills Health System will have over competitors. Competence in technology use translates to faster, efficient and highly reliable services that further promote care quality. The consequence of this is that this directly translates to more satisfied patients. The compromise therefore outsmarts the initiative in the first place. Learning and Growth Assessment Newer and younger professionals significantly show an ability and awareness in technological advancement in health care as opposed to their older counterparts. This group of medical professionals does not necessarily completely lack skills but are incompetent with modern forms of technology (Purnell, 2014). As health care moves to newer heights, there is the use of advanced technology forms to increase care quality. This, therefore, necessitates the implementation of a plan for reversing this situation and equipping the professionals with the right amount of knowledge. Key Performance Indicators Increase in skills Competency and efficiency in the use of technology in normal work processes Incorporation of technology in the major care processes Justification of process Once again despite the expenses associated with the process of knowledge acquisition for the nurses at the health care facility, there is adequate justification. This is realized in increased care quality, more patient admission and more satisfied and skilled workforce. References Goetsch, D. L., & Davis, S. B. (2014). Quality management for organizational excellence. Upper Saddle River, NJ: pearson. Henderson, K., Davis, T. C., Smith, M., & King, M. (2014). Nurse practitioners in telehealth: bridging the gaps in healthcare delivery. The Journal for Nurse Practitioners, 10(10), 845-850. Lavin, M., Harper, E., & Barr, N. (2015). Health information technology, patient safety, and professional nursing care documentation in acute care settings. OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, 20(2). Purnell, L. D. (2014). Guide to culturally competent health care. FA Davis.
NURS 6241: STRATEGIC PLANNING IN HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS – Final Complete Project
Running head: BUDGETING AND TIMELINE TOOLS 1 Budgeting and Timeline Tools for Green Hills Health Center NURS 6241: STRATEGIC PLANNING IN HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONS Budgeting is an essential part of the project management process that defines the sources of funds and its utilization. It is a process that is carried out to not only identify sources of funds but also break down the fundamentals of where the money will be spent, that is, allocation. This paper highlights the key areas in this project budgeting as well as the ideal tool in timeline formation for the Green Hills Health System Project. In addition to the budget there is a need to link the budget to the timeline of the project. This ensures that the budget fits within the time schedule of the project and aligns with the necessary processes. Internal Financial Resources In the strategic plan there is the need to educate the nurses on the latest forms of technologies in care delivery. According to Lavin, Harper, and Barr (2015), it has been previously established that charging the staff with personal development works more efficiently as it promotes competition. Internal resources are those that the staff will generate. The total of this is projected $10,000 of the $21,650. This will consist of the self-funding and sponsorship that will be generated by the healthcare facility. External Financial Resources These do not have to be provided for by the care facility as there can be the engagement of external donors due to them being expensive. As there is a possibility of policy making and changing in the project, there is the need to get funds from the government under the ministry of health care. These sources of funds will ensure that there are adequate financial resources to promote knowledge acquisition (Goetsch & Davis, 2014). The external sources of funds are projected at $11,650 of the $21,650. Budget Breakdown Project design is projected at $9,005 with smaller breakdowns to complement the overall budget. These comprise of developing of functional specifications, system architecture, project specification, design specification and acceptance test plan. Project delivery is projected at $4,600. This is broken down as implementation of training, performance acceptance test, provision of project support and training of nurses. The last section of the budget is assigned to miscellaneous expenses that stand at $ 4,500. Budgeting tool employed in financial analysis For this specific project the tools used were quantitative as well as qualitative forecasting methods. Under the qualitative methods, critical information such as the customer tastes and preferences would be collected. In the study, there could be the use of surveys from the targeted patients and hospital personnel to establish the need and value of the project. The other technique for gathering information would be the use of quantitative data collected through the number of clients that the facility is currently serving. According to Eriksson & Kovalainen (2015), the use of these two forecasting methods not only offers the company with an insight of the client’s preferred services and the technological gap identification thus magnifying the project need. Scheduling tool for this project was the Gantt chart as the preferred tool. This tool helps in the organization of thoughts. It organizes a project into parts which are better to understand and assess as opposed to outlining them manually through regular spreadsheets. The second reason for the use of Gantt chart is that it gives a visual angle to elements of planning. In most cases, the visual perspective of work is better placed at understanding than the theoretical aspect of it. I selected the Gantt chart as it aids in giving a realistic timeframe to work. When the work can be envisioned as in the case of the Gantt chart one sets a timeline that does not overly overlap the events. Thus it offers the practical aspect of planning. Finally, I selected to use the Gantt chart as it is appropriate to be used as an objective and target reminder at all times. Gantt charts are handy in planning and assessing work progress in all the fields that they are used (Milošević, 2003). For that reason, it also a highly recommended tool that should be employed by the project manager at all times. How the Timeline Can Allow Leeway for Variance Variance in this project is made possible with tentative and actual budgets and timelines. The variance is made possible by allocating longer and realistic timeline that makes room for delays and changes within the budget. The value of this is to guarantee meeting deadlines and timely completion of project. In conclusion, the budget and the timeline are a necessary part of project planning and implementation. Green Hills Healthcare System’s budget and timeline reflect a six month’s period and a $ 21,650 from project planning, implementation and evaluation. Finally, there is need for realistic timelines and budgeting for a project. References Eriksson, P., & Kovalainen, A. (2015). Qualitative and Quantitative methods in business research. Los Angeles : SAGE Milošević, D. (2003). Project management toolbox: Tools and techniques for the practicing project manager. Hoboken, N.J: J. Wiley & Sons.