It is widely accepted that the external environment of a modern (health-care) organization is changing rapidly at the economic, technological, and social level, forcing the organization to adjust to those changing environmental conditions. This makes strategic planning and programming an absolutely necessary tool for all organizational efforts in order to avoid any risks that global competitiveness may bring. So the function of strategic planning and programming is in fact a managerial priority (in relation to the other managerial functions, namely, decision-making, organization, leadership, and control) that includes the clarification of an organization’s targets and the determination of policy, either for the whole organization or for its departments. Given the above, it is essential that all managers have a good understanding of strategic planning and programming since it is the only way to ensure that an organization’s mission and strategic targets are achieved efficiently and effectively while it is equally true that all organizations (including those in the health-care sector) base their existence and survival on the due process of planning and programming and on the subsequent rational decisions taken. This chapter:
Analyzes the nature of strategic planning and programming
Presents in an analytical way the process of strategic planning and programming and the basic types of programs
Assesses the development and the significance of strategic planning and programming in the health-care sector
Presents the models of strategic planning and programming that can be applied in the health-care sector
Analyzes management by objectives (MBO) and its significance and implementation