Strategic management is critical in the running of healthcare organizations. Different strategies can be applied to develop and implement plans and tactics to enable an organization to attain its long-term goals and objectives. Different techniques in healthcare organizations have become necessary due to the nature of the sector, which is constantly changing. High-quality strategies are needed to enhance the organization’s capacity to respond to evolving positions and challenges. The discussion in this paper focuses on a critical review of three articles addressing different components of strategies. The purpose is to identify how they can be applied in healthcare to deal with various challenges. The critical aim of healthcare providers is to increase efficiency, improve patient outcomes, reduce costs, remain competitive, and enhance the overall quality of care.
The first article identifies a successful strategy as clear and coherent. Rumelt (2022) indicates that a strategy must address a company or organization’s challenges through a unique approach. He suggests that strategies are difficult to work on as serious approaches are much more complex. Rumelt (2022) advocates for applying the crux principle, which emphasizes the keen consideration of the logic of challenges instead of the desired outcome. An organization must focus on dealing with the challenges. The key takeaway from the article is that effective strategy involves describing a distinctive problem-solving approach. Strategic management should include more than simply applying best practices or industry norms. In healthcare, this perspective requires organizations to understand the specific challenges they face clearly. Common challenges include high costs, inadequate access to care, and disparities in health outcomes. Healthcare organizations should formulate tailored solutions to address their unique challenges instead of depending on generic strategies that may need to be cogent in healthcare.
The second article focuses on addressing the tensions embedded in strategic management. Courtney et al. (n.d) indicate that the traditional strategic planning approaches must be revised in highly uncertain and quickly evolving settings. Even if the best analysis is applied, there is a high expectation of uncertainty in a strategy, which the authors categorize into four levels. Courtney et al. (n.d) propose that strategy should be flexible, adaptable, and focus on creating a strategic faculty through which an organization can respond effectively to changing occurrences. The critical takeaway is that organizations operate in highly uncertain and rapidly changing circumstances under which they must enhance their strategic capacity to react and adjust to new challenges. The best approach is to adopt a flexible and adaptable approach to strategic management focused on creating a solid organization that can react to changes. A healthcare organization should endeavor to build resilience and be adaptable. Uncertainties and changes can occur in the form of changing patient needs, new technologies, or shifts in policy or funding.
The last article focuses on critically evaluating healthcare in the United States and recommends the need for a significant overhaul. Porter and Lee (2013) argue that the healthcare system in the country is weakened by low quality and high costs that limit access to care. They advocate for a fresh approach that is centered on value-based competition. This would require the healthcare providers to compete mainly on improving the quality and outcomes of care instead of focusing on the profit motive. As argued by Porter and Lee (2013), the critical takeaway is the need for healthcare strategies to compete on a value proposition aiming to provide high-quality healthcare for better outcomes. This can be attained by shifting away from fee-for-service models towards reducing costs and improving access to care through a more effective and efficient healthcare system.
In conclusion, the articles propose transformative ideas focused on the effective and efficient application of strategies for better organizational management. They advocate for using a unique approach to dealing with challenges, employing flexible and adaptable techniques in the face of uncertainties, and the need for the healthcare system in the United States to be overhauled. The ultimate goal is to reduce healthcare costs, which will translate to improved healthcare access and quality of outcomes.
References
Courtney, H. G., Kirkland, J., & Viguerie, S. P. (n.d.). Strategy under uncertainty.
Porter, M. E., & Lee, T. H. (2013). The strategy that will fix health care. Harvard Business Review, 50-70.
Rumelt. R., (2022). Getting strategy wrong—and how to do it right instead. McKinsey Quarterly, 1-8.