Strategic planning? Now?

Yes. If you want your practice to move from COVID-19 response mode to recovery, to success in your future market — now's the time to plan.

Even though crisis management is consuming all your energy and focus, six months from now things will look different. What will your position be in that new landscape? Make time now to create a roadmap with this checklist.

Put strategic planning on the calendar

  • Schedule it. Devote one houreach day to next-step strategic thinking.
  • Commit to it. Despite inevitable emergencies, do your best to protect that hour.
  • Time it right. The first thing in the morning or an hour around lunchtime often works best.

Start meetings with a brief meditation

During any strategic planning, you need to think clearly. That's especially true during a crisis. Take ten minutes before your meeting to breathe, unplug and be mindfully present. Studies show that mindful meditation leads to better outcomes. It helps your team think differently and avoid poor decisions.

Shorten the plan's timeframe

It's not necessary to re-engineer your five-year plan with all new detail. A shorter timeframe helps keep your team's energy focused.

  • Decide what's most likely to occur in the next three to six months.
  • Envision how you'll adjust as you leave crisis mode behind.

Expect to be looking at a changed world

The rebound will not bring a return to how things used to be in the healthcare world. It may include:

  • A greater demand for telehealth technology now that significant numbers of patients have come to trust and value the service.
  • More reliance on and comfort with online touchpoints, especially those that provided trustworthy guidance during the crisis.
  • A glut of patient appointments from pent-up demand for elective procedures.

Stay flexible and expect your plans to miss the mark

Encourage your team to be flexible in its thinking. Even after you've envisioned a bright future and determined how to get there, expect economic and clinical realities to shift.

With that in mind, you can still evaluate new growth opportunities. Plan to refine current capabilities for improved care. Find ways to compete better. Is it time to outsource some tasks? Open a new location or establish a mobile clinic? Find new ways to use current assets?

Your projections may fall short. Just remember: the ability to change direction quickly is imperative for success in the healthcare industry, crisis or no.

We can help you find clarity amid chaos

Strategic and marketing planning have learning curves. Don't worry. The only serious failure is failure to plan. We can help. Call CMG Health Marketing today.