External environments | Operations Management homework help

Accountable health care leaders must respond to external factors in a way that is advantageous for the organization and the community. While health care organizations must strive to improve their financial positions, it should never be at the expense of the populations they are serving. For this Assignment, examine the following scenario and consider strategies to limit the negative impact of external factors and improve organizational success.

Scenario: A small independent hospital in rural Georgia is seeking to attain Magnet Status. This designation demonstrates to stakeholders that the organization is committed to delivering high-quality patient care. With this designation, the organization can easily attract and retain a highly-engaged clinical staff. Moreover, it provides the organization an opportunity to market itself to potential patients as the place to receive top-quality care. This means that the organization could realize a greater market share of insured and private pay patients traveling as far as 100 miles just to receive the quality services. It also positions the organization to enter into joint ventures with physician groups eager to provide new services, which would lead to increased revenue streams.

Although the designation sounds like a great opportunity for the organization, the board of directors is split on their support of this designation. The board members in support of the designation understand the great value that this program will bring to the facility; however, those in opposition learned from a research study that non-magnet hospitals had better infection control and less post-operative sepsis. They also learned from another study that working conditions in a magnet facility are not better than those in non-magnet facilities. Therefore, the dissenting directors have concluded that the organization should not invest its time and resources to seek this credential. The CEO must get support from an overwhelming majority of the board to move forward with pursuing this designation.

To prepare:

Review the provided scenario and consider external environmental factors that may impact the organization’s strategic planning (e.g., policy and economics, laws and ethics, health care quality, and population health).

Note: Your Assignment should show effective application of triangulation of content and resources in your conclusion and recommendations.

20% or less plagiarism report.

The Assignment

In a 2-page executive summary, do the following:

• Identify and evaluate the impact of external environmental factors on the strategic planning of the organization in the scenario.
• Recommend strategies to address these external factors and limit their influence on organizational operations.

Resources:

Walston, S. L. (2014). Strategic healthcare management: Planning and execution. Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.
Chapter 7, “The External Environment and Its Relationship to Strategy” (pp. 141–168)
Note: This chapter was assigned in Week 3. Please review it for this week.

Wayland, M. S., & McDonald, W. G. (2016). Strategic analysis for healthcare: Concepts and practical applications. Chicago, IL: Health Administration Press.
Chapter 6, ““Five Forces in an Industry” (pp. 33–38)
Chapter 7, “PEST Analysis of the Environment” (pp. 43–45)
Chapter 23, “Ansoff Matrix” (pp. 151–152)

Cheng, W.-H., Kadir, K. A., & Bohari, A. M. (2014). The strategic planning of SMES in Malaysia: A view of external environmental scanning. International Journal of Business and Society, 15(3), 437–446.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Górecka, D., & Szalucka, M. (2014). Application of MCDA methods and stochastic dominance rules in the entry mode selection process in international expansion. Multiple Criteria Decision Making, 9, 5–31.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Metcalfe, L., & Lapenta, A. (2014). Partnerships as strategic choices in public management. Journal of Management & Governance, 18(1), 51–76.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Pliskie, J., & Wallenfang, L. (2014). How geographical information systems analysis influences the continuum of patient care. The Journal of Medical Practice Management, 29(5), 282–285.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Rajan, D., Kalambay, H., Mossoko, M., Kwete, D., Bulakali, J., Lokonga, J.-P., … Schmets, G. (2014). Health service planning contributes to policy dialogue around strengthening district health systems: An example from DR Congo 2008–2013. BMC Health Services Research, 14, 522–536.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.

Urban, B., & Mothusiwa, M. (2014). Planning flexibility and entrepreneurial orientation: A focus on SME performance and the influence of environmental perceptions. Management Dynamics, 23(1), 58–73.
Note: Retrieved from Walden Library databases.