If you build it, they will come

Dear Medical Staff Leader,

Strategic planning is a business term that many in healthcare environments have  associated with “something administration has to do.” The challenge of an effective medical staff leader is to incorporate strategic planning into the organized medical staff’s functions. Doing so will help solidify the medical staff’s goals, promote leadership discussion about the future, determine the actions required to get results, and empower the medical staff.

I recommend that the president of the medical staff appoint a medical staff strategic planning task force. The task force should be chaired by the president of the medical staff and include:

• A newly appointed medical staff member
• A past president of the medical staff
• A hospital-based practitioner
• A department/service chief
• Two or three medical staff members who actively participate in medical staff activities
• A representative from administration

If necessary, secure the services of a professional facilitator who can lay out the framework for building a strategic plan (i.e., key strategies, major goals, actions, accountability, timelines) and navigate through sensitive issues. Don’t overwork the plan--keep it simple. This is a fluid document that will continue to be updated as actions are taken and outcomes achieved.

As medical staff leaders, if you build, update, and share a strategic plan with the medical staff, you will empower, engage, and energize your medical staff members. Next month, look for tips on how to become a more effective medical staff leader along with working examples some of your colleagues have submitted to me. I’ve enjoyed hearing from many of you about how these tips have helped. 

Until next we speak…SMILE!

Donna K. Goestenkors, CPMSM
Consultant – credentialing and privileging practice
The Greeley Company