GCU HCA470 2020 November All Weeks Discussions Latest

HCA470 Strategic Planning and Implementation in Health Care

Week 1 Discussion

DQ1 You are the vice president at a new biotechnology company and your initial drug product is showing promise and it is likely it will go to market in about a year and a half. One of your board members, who has a vast background and over 20 years of experience in the pharmaceutical industry is showing impatience with your apparent lack of planning for the next phase of the company. She is questioning if you have the ability to lead the company to a higher level. You sense that she would like to replace you and assume control of the project and company initiatives.

Discuss strategies for addressing the board member about the issue and as you move forward. When formulating strategies, keep in mind that organizational culture is key to success and addressing barriers head on is the only way to move forward. In replies to peers, discuss whether you think the suggested strategies will be effective, justify your response, and provide additional ideas for addressing the situation.

DQ2 Imagine you are the founder of a start-up business focusing on telemedicine. You currently have two people working with you. You like to plan ahead, so you have decided on the kind of culture you wish to develop.

Describe the culture you want to create and discuss steps you can take now and over the next six months to create such a culture. In replies to peers, share additional steps that could be taken to develop the desired culture.

 

HCA470 Strategic Planning and Implementation in Health Care

Week 2 Discussion

DQ1 Research and post the mission and vision statements of two hospitals near you where you could receive care. Compare the mission and vision for each organization and share the image/impression each creates in your mind. Imagine you have been offered a position by each hospital and indicate which organization you would select and why based upon the mission and vision statements. In replies to peers, indicate which organization most appealed to you and explain why.

DQ2 Imagine you are the corporate “turn-around” specialist who has been hired to save a 400-bed hospital in a large metropolitan area. It faces competition from two well-managed teaching hospitals, has experienced declining occupancy rates, and has been losing money for six years. Common sense and good business thinking says that the hospital should be closed. Political consideration will not allow that to happen. Suggest three steps the hospital could take to ensure its survival for the next five years and justify your selections. In replies to peers, provide additional steps that have not already been discussed and explain how you think these will help the hospital survive.

 

HCA470 Strategic Planning and Implementation in Health Care

Week 3 Discussion

DQ1 Review the lists of health-related resources and competencies found in Chapter 2 of the textbook. Provide three examples of how the resources and competencies could be leveraged to create a competitive advantage. In replies to peers, explain why you agree or disagree with the examples provided.

DQ2 You are the physician-owner of a group practice of five-physicians; the other four doctors are employees of the practice. You have decided to become more aggressive about growing the organization by distinguishing the quality of the care it provides from that of other physician practices.

You have several questions to answer:

How will you define the quality that you want to promote?

How will you measure the quality that the group offers in comparison with competing practices?

Exactly what data will you use?

Assuming that you see some value in improving the level of quality, at what points in the practice’s operations will you address the issue? (Hint: Think in terms of the practice value chain.) Suggest some examples of changes you might want to make and explain how you will know when your practice’s quality is distinctive enough to give you an advantage over your competitors. Discuss how you will promote that distinction to your patients and prospective patients. In replies to peers, discuss whether you agree with the strategy assessment provided and justify your response.

 

HCA470 Strategic Planning and Implementation in Health Care

Week 4 Discussion

DQ1 Once an organization has a good understanding of its external environment, describe how it goes about interpreting the possible effects on its operations and strategies. Describe guidelines that can be used for recognizing specific threats and opportunities that deserve attention. In replies to peers, discuss additional strategies that have not already been provided.

DQ2 Imagine that you are the head of strategic planning for a 150-bed general hospital located in a medium-sized city with a diverse population representing a cross-section of U.S. society. Consider the most prominent variables that define a population and compile a list of the segments into which the hospital’s overall market could be defined. From the list, identify segments in which patients might want something unique in their hospital services. Post the list of segment and potential patient wants for each segment. In replies to peers, discuss whether you agree or disagree with the assessment and justify your response.

 

HCA470 Strategic Planning and Implementation in Health Care

Week 5 Discussion

DQ1 The textbook lists but does not explain three popular methods for determining the financial attractiveness of a strategic project: break-even analysis, net present value (NPV), and internal rate of return (IRR). Conduct research to locate a clear description of each method. In your own words, write a 1-2 sentence description for each method. Discuss whether you believe these methods could be used to analyze a strategic proposal and compare it to other proposals and justify your opinion. In replies to peers, support or refute the ideas presented.

DQ2 Identify three health insurance companies active in your area and research the credit rating trends for each company using credit rating firms such as Standard & Poor’s, Fitch Rating, and Moody’s Investors Service. Discuss the trends among the firms by addressing the following:

Are the ratings for each company similar across the rating firms? Explain why or why not.

Identify specific trends regarding rating ups and downs for each company and discuss potential links to rating changes based upon revenue, profits, etc.

In replies to peers, discuss additional trends you noticed or comment on what you noticed in the trends that you found surprising or out of the ordinary.

 

HCA470 Strategic Planning and Implementation in Health Care

Week 6 Discussion

DQ1 Imagine you are a corporate executive tasked with making portfolio decisions. Discuss whether you would consult with stakeholders, the head of the current SBUs in the portfolio, or with both when making decisions. Justify your ideas with specific reasons, facts, and examples. In replies to peers, discuss whether you agree or disagree with the ideas presented and explain why.

DQ2 A hospital located in the downtown area of a large city has decided to open satellite outpatient clinics in suburbs of the city, one within a year from now and another two years later. Describe the roles that the hospitals’ functional areas will have to play in establishing those clinics. In replies to peers, support or refute the ideas presented and suggest additional areas that have not already been identified.

 

HCA470 Strategic Planning and Implementation in Health Care

Week 7 Discussion

DQ1 Imagine that you are a top executive in a biotechnology firm that has grown rapidly on the basis of its first drug approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The company has decided to proceed down two new drug development paths while continuing adaptive research on the first drug. It seems appropriate to reorganize in order to accommodate these new strategic initiatives. Discuss the changes you would recommend in organizational structure and explain exactly how you would go about moving from the current structure to the new one. In replies to peers, discuss whether you agree with the strategy presented or not and explain why.

DQ2 Imagine you are the marketing manager of a medical device company that has plans to implement a strategy to shift from a competitive, individualistic sales culture to one based on collaboration and team work. Identify the people you would select to serve on the change team to oversee this shift and justify the selection of each. In replies to peers, identify additional individuals that could be considered for the change team and explain their significance.

 

HCA470 Strategic Planning and Implementation in Health Care

Week 8 Discussion

DQ1 Under what conditions would it make sense to cancel or reverse the implementation of a strategy for which there has already been substantial investment such as hiring and training staff, purchasing equipment, constructing facilities, negotiating contracts, launching marketing campaigns, etc.? Discuss how you would decide whether to simply redirect in a slightly different strategic direction or cancel. Provide real-world examples to illustrate your ideas. In replies to peers, present additional factors to be considered as well as other ideas about how to proceed when making such a decision.

DQ2 Describe how an organization should react to the news that the strategy it is monitoring is being implemented more rapidly than planned and is showing more positive results than anticipated. Provide a real-world example to illustrate and justify your ideas.