Publishers: Wiley THE STRATEGIC MANAGEMENT OF HEALTH CARE ORGANIZATIONSThe book 'The Strategic Management of Health Care Organizations' aims to provide a structured strategic management approach is what's needed to tackle the revolutionary change the healthcare system has been experiencing. Today, healthcare organizations have almost universally embraced the strategic perspective first developed in the business sector and now have developed strategic management processes that are uniquely their own. Healthcare leaders have found that strategic thinking, planning and managing strategic momentum are essential for coping with the dynamics of the healthcare industry. Strategic management has become the single clearest manifestation of effective leadership of healthcare organizations. It is a multiauthored and multidisciplinary integrated book on the subject.The 7th edition of this leading text has been revised and updated to include a greater focus on the global analysis of industry and competition and analysis of the internal environment.The book deliberates on all aspects of strategic planning, analysis of the health services environment (both internal and external) and lessons on implementation. It also looks at organizational capability, sustainability, CSR and the sources of organizational inertia and competency traps. There is a greater focus on the global analysis of industry and competition and analysis of the internal environment. In consultation with feedback from their adopters, the authors have concentrated on the fundamentals of strategy analysis and the underlying sources of profit. This reflects waning interest among senior executives in the pursuit of short-term shareholder value.The book will be a ready-reckoner for administrators, clinicians and practitioners in healthcare facilities for policy making, formulation of standard operative procedures, implementing techniques and processes for strategic planning in healthcare.As ever, students are provided with the guidance they need to strategic planning, analysis of the health services environment (internal and external) and lessons on implementation, with additional discussion on organizational capability, deeper treatment of sustainability and corporate social responsibility and more coverage of the sources of organizational inertia and competency traps.

BackgroundPublic health officials and journalists play a crucial role in disseminating information regarding natural disasters, terrorism and other human-initiated disasters. However, research suggests that journalists are unprepared to cover terrorism and many types of natural disasters, in part because of lack sufficient expertise in science and medicine and training. The objective of this research was to identify solutions to problems facing journalists and public health public information officer (PIOs) of communicating with the public during natural and human-initiated disasters.MethodsTo assist in identifying the most pressing problems regarding media response to health-related risks such as terrorism and large-scale natural disasters, 26 expert advisors were convened, including leaders representing journalists and public information officers, state health officials, experts in terrorism and emergency preparedness, and experts in health, risk, and science communication. The advisory group participated in pre-arranged interviews and were asked to identify and review bioterrorism educational resources provided to journalist. All advisory group members were then invited to attend a day long meeting January 29, 2004 to review the findings and reach consensus.ResultsThe most pressing problems were found to be a lack of coordination between PIO's and journalists, lack of resources for appropriately evaluating information and disseminating it efficiently, and a difference in perception of PIO's and journalist towards each others role during emergency situations. The advisory board developed a list of 15 recommendations that may enhance communication plans betweens PIO's, journalist and the public. The solutions were meant to be feasible in terms of costs and practical in terms of the professional and organizational realities in which journalists and PIO's work.ConclusionIt is clear that PIO's and journalists play crucial roles in shaping public response to terrorism and other disasters. The findings from this formative research suggest that perspectives and organizational processes often limit effective communication between these groups; though practical solutions such as participation of journalists in drills, scenario exercises, sharing of informational resources, and raising awareness at professional trade meetings may enhance the timely dissemination of accurate and appropriate information.

The RDT literature is limited to studies of hospitals, nursing homes, and medical practices. There is little consensus on how to measure or operationalize the environment in these studies. No previous studies have measured the environment for other health care settings such as ambulatory surgery centers, public health departments, or assisted living facilities.