HCA 340 Managing In Health & Human Services WK2-CS1

Means–Ends Analysis

Another program designed to foster organizational consistency is a means–ends chain. In the system, means are plans, and ends are goals. The ultimate end of an organization—its mission—drives the development of goals at the functional and individual levels, as displayed in Figure 4.1.

As the ends (goals) are finalized, managers then identify the means (plans) needed to reach those goals. The concept of top-down/bottom-up planning becomes the net result of a well-designed means–ends chain. The mission is broken down into smaller and smaller unit goals. At the same time, individual goals build to unit goals, which build to department goals, which ultimately seek to achieve the organization’s mission. The corresponding top-down/bottom-up process helps ensure the consistency of goals and plans at all levels in the organization.

Figure 4.1 A means–ends chain

Source: Bedeian, A.G. (1986). Management. Chicago: Dryden Press, p. 140..

CASE Proactive Prevention

St. Mary’s Regional Health Center conducts numerous activities as part of its overall strategic approach to healthcare. The main hospital offers emergency services, diagnostics, and treatments of all types. The organization operates several facilities in other locations. Recently, St. Mary’s management team, with the approval of the organization’s board of directors, created a new path.

In the past, patients would travel to the hospital or its other facilities when a health problem emerged. Someone who suspected he or she was experiencing heart or cardiovascular issues would be sent to the heart center, a patient diagnosed with cancer would be referred to the cancer treatment center, and so forth.

The top management team, after many long discussions, decided it was time for St. Mary’s to redefine itself. The concept was that members of the community and potential patients of the system should become partners in the healthcare process. Rather than passively waiting until an illness or injury occurs, citizens of the area should be encouraged to proactively prevent as many health problems as possible.

To help achieve this new strategic vision, the proprietors founded the St. Mary’s Wellness Center. Among the directives for the organization’s new wing were the following:

· Provide low-cost health-screening tools, such as blood pressure tests and weigh-ins.

· Encourage healthy activities by patrons, including watching diet, managing weight, and exercising.

· Offer low-fee programs to help individuals engage in healthy activities, including clubs, exercise groups, and support groups.

· Link physical wellness to mental well-being.

· Establish an immunization program at low cost for flu shots, shingles vaccinations, and other similar preventive steps.

Creating this new partnership required more than public relations activities and a new building. Physicians in the community were contacted directly and asked to talk with their patients about the wellness program when giving routine physicals and when other contacts took place. Advertising the system and its benefits would take place for the next year. The St. Mary’s Wellness Center would sponsor closed-captioning of the news on two local television stations, which would provide daily reminders of its existence to viewers.

When explaining the new program to community members, two points were to be emphasized. First, real wellness, such as lowering blood pressure, eating fewer fatty foods, watching calories, engaging in mild exercise, and working to manage stress, offers direct benefits to the individual. As time passes, a person who actively engages in preventive steps would be far less prone to suffer from diabetes, some forms of cancer, heart problems, and other maladies.

Second, the program should assist in cutting healthcare costs. This benefit extends to both the patient and the hospital. When community members actively work to maintain a healthy lifestyle, they can expect to pay less for healthcare and lose less time to sick days away from work. The hospital benefits by reducing the need for expensive treatments and recoveries from various illnesses. As one board member put it, “This new vision for our organization creates a win-win situation.”

1. Write a mission statement that reflects this new direction for St. Mary’s.

2. Write a vision statement reflecting the new mission statement.

3. What type of strategy did the leadership team at St. Mary’s pursue?

4. Which organizations in the community might view the wellness center as a new form of competition?

5. What factors described in this chapter might affect the implementation of this new strategy?

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