The necessity for physician involvement in strategic planning in healthcare organizations.

Strategic planning is necessary in health care organizations to meet the constraints of a lean economy, rapidly changing technologies, and an unprecedented need to provide quality services at affordable prices. It offers a structure for assessing core strengths and environmental conditions and an innovative approach to enhance revenue and minimize costs. During the planning process, organizations define their mission, identify direction, develop a unified approach, prioritize long- and short-term goals, assign accountability, and allocate financial resources. Effective strategic planning is a continuous process and becomes an integral part of an organization's culture. Implementation is a part of strategy formulation, because future insights arise from current operating experiences. Success depends on buy-in from stakeholders, including physicians, nurses, and managers. The invested effort can offer the rewards of management that is proactive rather than crisis driven.