Regarding your community, although your group naturally knows the local marketplace well, an outsider can provide a fresh and objective perspective in fact, the familiarity of physicians with the local scene may create blind spots. A well-qualified strategic planning consultant should have a thorough and current knowledge of national trends in medicine as well as detailed knowledge about oncology practice. Perhaps the biggest value added by a consultant is guidance in assessing your environment. As a moderator, a consultant knows how to keep a group moving forward, prevent it from getting bogged down in side issues, and objectively help participants resolve disagreements and develop effective solutions. He or she knows how to collect and analyze diverse information-opinions, practice data, and market reports, for example-and present it in a concise way, thereby saving you and your administrator many hours of work.
A professional has done this before-many times-and thus can direct the process efficiently. The biggest mistake people make is already having the end result in mind when they start.”Īlthough use of an outside facilitator entails expense, turning to a strategic planning professional has a number of advantages that can contribute greatly to success, especially if you are undertaking strategic planning for the first time. Some think that it will take you forward forever-it won't. “Some expect a strategic plan to be precise-it's not.
Guidi, chief executive officer of Oncology Management Consulting in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, points out that although there is “no wrong idea” of what a strategic plan encompasses, people often do have misconceptions about it. However, the definition of a strategic plan differs among different people, according to management consultant Teri Guidi, MBA. Strategic decision making is needed now more than ever for success in oncology practice.Ī strategic plan is a tool that moves your practice toward a goal you have set.
This article presents the principles of strategic planning and outlines processes that your practice can adapt for short- or long-term planning. Strategic planning gives a practice the structure to make day-to-day decisions that follow a larger vision. Without it, your group will likely take action only to address immediate problems-a kind of crisis management approach. In oncology practice, where dramatic changes in reimbursement, technology, and the marketplace are just a few of the driving forces, “the future,” as Yogi Berra once said, “ain't what it used to be.” You may not be able to control the future, but strategic planning can create a direction for your practice and maximize your options for influencing your environment.
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