Why compliance planning is so important to health care organizations
Planning as a process entails the prediction of the future guiding principle (i.e., why an action, what action, how to take action, and when to take action). These why, when, how, and what is related to different aspects of the planning process. According to Erven (n.d), planning is one of the most central functions for the management to perform as it enables the organization to set the pattern of its future activities thus proper planning is mainly concerned with developing strategies and plans to achieve the company set goals. It is considered as a specific course of action believed necessary to achieve specific results.
With the planning for compliance becoming a basic requirement for many organizations in the US economy, healthcare organizations have not been left behind either whether large or small (Glasel, 2007). A compliance plan is essential to a health care institution since it offers a road map for the providers to use and shelter compliance with the laid regulations and also to encourage early uncovering and treatment of problems before they grow.
Adopting and internalizing compliance plans helps in avoiding waste, fraud, and abuse of office before they can occur. As part of the compliance plan, the providers must always inquire into the background of the applicants before employment; this is to check the qualifications and issues of whether a hospital employee license has been suspended or revoked to avoid employing nonqualified and suspended employees. A comprehensive compliance plan also helps in first-rate record keeping since it cannot be overstated. When an enforcement agency for example visits a hospital, it should be easy for the healthcare providers to provide all the necessary documents required for reference thereby reducing the chances of missing, incomplete, and even altered documents.
Why strategic planning is important as a managerial function
It is always important to prepare a satisfactory plan to avoid any unexpected situations. Planning (and the planning process itself) is a very imperative activity since it offers the administration an opening to comprehend more clearly what they want to achieve, how, and when they can do it. Planning aids the organization in anticipating the future. It usually aids the management in bridging the gap between where the organization currently is and where it should be (Allen, 2002).
Planning also helps management in setting the targets. It does this by identifying all the main issues which need to be addressed and reviewing the past performance and focus on budgetary issues. Proper planning centers on matters of strategic significance; make out the shortcomings in the concept and gaps and then arrange for execution. It provides the directions and a clear sense of the activities that need to be done within the organization by strengthening the managers’ confidence in understanding where the organization is headed to. How best to make the business move along a selected path and when certain appraisals should be taken.
Planning also helps management by providing alternative courses of action. It permits administrators to study and scrutinize the alternative course of action with a better perception of the likely future outcomes. Proper planning also minimizes impulsive and arbitrary decisions. It obviates the limited reliance on the mercies of luck and chance elements sinking the possibilities of major faults and failures in administrative functions. It increases the freedom and the flexibility of the managers by aiding in efficient and effective resource allocations.
How strategic planning concepts are employed to efficiently plan for conformity in the health care background
Healthcare reform and compliance legislation need good planning due to the increasing pressures the whole economy has been facing. As a result, anticipating the next steps requires a structured approach which can only be contained in a strategic plan. To help in faster compliance, healthcare can use the strategic planning concepts in recruiting core leadership and augmenting with representatives of the different hospital departments to ensure that every department complies with the regulation.
Strategic planning also helps in healthcare compliance since it entails planning the objectives of the compliance plan and process and then expanding the involvement to ensure that everybody participates in the compliance process. A strategic plan will also enable the hospital management to identify the likely changes and opportunities which shall appear as a result of compliance with the regulations and therefore plan how the affected parties will be sorted.
Finally, by the use of premeditated concepts, the (healthcare) institutions can offer investigative and planned proficiency to compute the impact of the probable reforms and help to inline the plans with the intent facts. By combining all the healthcare information through strategic planning, the strategic plan concepts aids in guiding to help in focusing on the compliance goals.
Reference List
Allen, G. (2002). Planning Process. Web.
Erven, B. L. (n.d.). Planning. Web.
Glasel, D.P. (2007). The Importance Of Compliance Planning: Compliance Planning For Behavioral Healthcare Providers Used To Be A Good Idea–Now It’s. Web.