Organizing for strategic planning in smaller not-for-profit community hospitals

It is generally assumed that conventional strategic planning techniques can be applied to all complex organizations. However, the approach used to organize for the strategic planning function may vary to accommodate institutional differences. While health administration literature addresses the issue of strategic planning, there is little research to validate prescriptive theory, particularly for smaller and rural hospitals. To shrink the "research gap," a survey questionnaire developed in cooperation with the Hospital Association of Pennsylvania was mailed to 101 hospitals registered by the American Hospital Association; of these, 66 usable responses were received. The scope of the study was limited to smaller (100 to 299 beds) not-for-profit community hospitals in Pennsylvania. The results discussed in this article focus on the creation of an appropriate organizational framework to support strategic planning efforts. The findings shed light on the proper role for board members, staff specialists, and outside consultants as participants in the planning process.