Strategies and Objectives

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Let's take a closer look at these interesting questions through illustrative examples and discussion.

The questions can act as a tentative outline for this short paper. Even short academic papers need an Introduction (introduce topic: include purpose statement: The purpose of this paper is to...); Body (answer the questions, providing examples); and Conclusion (restate purpose statement in different wording, and briefly sum up main points).

RESPONSE:

a. What are the different types of strategies? What are the differences among these strategies? How do you determine which type of strategy is most appropriate for a managed care insurance company?

Strategies come out of needs assessment and market information. For example, most health care districts have a primary health care strategy (see example 1 and 2 below). These strategies are developed to guide the change process and to meet the needs of different segments of the consumers of health care (Example 2 below). The difference is one of purpose and focus.

Take the second example below. The primary health strategy involves several types of strategies to meet the overall Primary Health Strategy, including the New Zealand Disability Strategy (focused on the people with disabilities), the Maori Health Strategy (focused on the Maori people) and the Strategy for Health of Older People (focused on the older people). Action plans include goals and strategic objectives, well as tactics to meet each strategic objective (see next question: Example 4). In other words, the strategy is formulated, such as Disability Strategy. Then, the goal or purpose is formulated. Finally, the strategic objectives are developed to meet the goal(s) (see Example 7 for the relationship between goals and strategic objectives).

EXAMPLE 1: Primary Health Care Strategy

Primary health care will have significant impact on health services over the next five years. Primary health care involves health care providers working in teams to provide a range of everyday health services on a regular, ongoing basis to help people stay healthy and prevent injury, get better, manage illness or disease, and cope with the end of life. Read More (PDF)

http://www.viha.ca/about_viha/news/publications/Primary+Health+Care+Strategy.htm

EXAMPLE 2: Primary Health Strategy

The Government is changing the health system and its structure to focus better on getting results through understanding the factors that determine health and by influencing them positively. The changes are being guided by overarching strategies for the health and disability sector, specifically the New Zealand Health Strategy and the New Zealand Disability Strategy. The changes are being put into effect through the New Zealand Public Health and Disability Act 2000. Also important are population-based strategies, such as the Maori Health Strategy, the Pacific Health and Disability Action Plan, the Strategy for Health of Older People and other changes such as the Health Professionals Competency Assurance Bill.

See http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/f872666357c511eb4c25666d000c8888/7bafad2531e04d92cc2569e600013d04/$FILE/PHCStrat.pdf

One research project investigated managed care strategies in the follow example: Through their market analysis and discussions with HMOs, the clinic determined that a better strategy would be to establish a management services organization that would develop centralized administrative services to help clinics operate more efficiently, promote clinic collaboration and develop and secure new business opportunities for the clinics.

(ii) How do you determine which type of strategy is most appropriate for a managed care insurance company?

The strategy is based of a needs assessment and market research. Based on this information, the managed care strategy is ...