MHA 6303 - Strategic Planning, Policy formulation, and Implementation

Credits: 3

The purpose of the capstone course is to provide an integrative experience for the student that will utilize and focus as much of the content from the previous courses as possible. The lectures on campus will cover policy formulation and implementation in healthcare organizations with emphasis on medical group practices. The clinical and economic implications of these policies will be highlighted. The need for comprehensive strategies and an operational plan upon which to build the organizations policies will be presented and carried over into the case studies. The course will consider the nature of strategic management, understanding and analyzing the external environment, service area competitor analysis, internal environmental analysis and competitive advantage. It will cover directional strategies, developing strategic alternatives, evaluation of alternatives and strategic choice, implementing strategy through value-adding service delivery strategies, implementing strategy through unit action plans, control of strategy, and reinventing the future through strategic thinking. A number of case studies will be utilized to emphasize the principles covered in each discussion area. Practical application of the material will be demonstrated as students audit their own organization’s strategic planning process. Case studies and involvement of experienced guests will also be helpful in grounding the course to today’s health care organizations.