The healthcare landscape continues to evolve, and many providers, organizations and companies are working diligently to develop long-term strategic plans that will encourage growth while maintaining the flexibility needed to adjust to new policies and procedures, which will make change a constant.
At a national level, there has been a significant amount of discussion around organizations attempting to disrupt the healthcare system. Stories like the burgeoning collaboration between Amazon, JPMorgan Chase and Berkshire Hathaway are examples of non-health-related companies seeking to transform the American healthcare system.
Proposed mergers like CVS and Aetna or Catholic Health Initiatives and Dignity Health show that healthcare companies are also looking for options to stay ahead of the innovation curve and provide new or different offerings to consumers.
Lexington Clinic
Kentucky is home to many healthcare organizations that are also working to bring innovative solutions to the healthcare marketplace. Lexington Clinic has created a preferred network program, alongside some very innovative employers, to provide meaningful reduction in plan expenditure for the employer and its members, as well as preserve and improve the health of employees with more comprehensive longitudinal care management. This program combines population management and health plan design to offer access to preferred providers through member navigation and care management.
Bluegrass Care Navigators
Organizations like Bluegrass Care Navigators are also looking at strategic ways to address concerns with patients suffering from serious illness. They are taking the approach of actively listening to the community to better understand what their partners and consumers need and engaging providers in meeting those needs. They are intentional about reviewing and resetting strategic goals quarterly because healthcare and community needs are changing fast.
The new Adult Day and Neonatal abstinence syndrome (NAS) and low birth weight baby transit ion ca re programs are examples of community need coupled with the organization’s desire to serve, in a sustainable and strategic way.
Kentucky Medical Association
The physician community in Kentucky also has a focus on strategic planning. Recognizing the need to realign resources and establish priorities, the Kentucky Medical Association began a strategic planning process in 2013 that resulted in a more nimble organization that better served its membership.
This issue of Medical News includes a special supplement, examining the organization’s results five years later. Make sure to check out the results starting on page nine of this issue.
The healthcare environment will continue to change across the nation and inside Kentucky and our individuals and organizations must continue to develop plans that will account for these changes.
Strategic planning is never easy and is made especially difficult as the target moves. However, many of the organizations in Kentucky are examples of adapting in the challenging environments.
