The ICAVL Strategic Plan (continued)
from
the July 2004 issue
REGULATION
AND LEGISLATION OF HEALTHCARE DELIVERY
As
the population gets older, change will also become evident in
the legislation and regulation of healthcare delivery. The payers
of healthcare coverage may shift to include universal healthcare
and catastrophic healthcare, as well as the single payer. Certification
and training techniques will be stepped up as well. Sonographers
in training will forego on-the-job training in favor of more
formal education, and will include more mandatory credentialing
and licensing.
INDUSTRY
STRUCTURE
Based
on the recent history and trends of the vascular industry, several
key assumptions can be made about the relevant future:
- More
testing will be performed in non-traditional settings.
- A
wider variety of specialties will emerge in non-invasive technology.
- There
will still be a shortage of availability of vascular technologists.
- Technologists
will still lack the career ladder that other industries provide,
and be more prone to increased burnout and work demand.
- Consumers
-- patients, physicians, and insurers alike -- will be more
knowledgeable and informed, and will look for a marker of
quality care.
- Insurance
companies will continue their push to keep costs down.
MEGA
ISSUES
Taking
the preceding factors into consideration, the ICAVL compiled
a list of "mega issues." These issues represent potential
roadblocks to achieving the envisioned future, as well as challenges
the organization will face when defining the direction its long-range
plan will take. The list included such questions as, "How
do we educate the public, government and payers on the value
of accreditation?" "What can we do to encourage labs
to apply?" and "How can we obtain sources of funding
for site visits?" The questions became the basis of an
ongoing dialogue that would ultimately take the shape of the
ICAVL's strategic plan.
The
Strategic Plan
The
next step determines the strategies, plans of action, and milestones
of the company for what they will achieve for its stakeholders.
The mission of the 3- to 5-year Planning Horizon is outcome-oriented
goals, and implies change -- attempting new ways of doing things
or trying more or less current methods to seek a successful
outcome.
|
Goal
1: Advocacy. ICAVL accreditation will be linked to
reimbursement by all medical carriers.
Goal
2: Consumer Awareness. Consumers will become increasingly
aware of ICAVL accreditation and its core purpose. The
ICAVL will increase public awareness by becoming affiliated
with public service and healthcare-related organizations.
Goal
3: The Value of Accreditation. Stakeholders (labs,
patients, advocacy groups, third party payers, etc.) will
recognize and demonstrate their knowledge of the value
of accreditation through such means as periodic presentations
(to carrier Medical Directors, private payers, HMOs, etc.),
partnerships (i.e., with specialty groups such as AARP,
AHA, etc.) and link exchanges on the website.
Goal
4: Organization Funding and Resources. The ICAVL will
have sufficient resources to support its goals. Funding
sources may include sponsoring organizations and educational
grants, industry contacts, etc.
Goal
5: The Universe of Accredited Labs. The number of
labs seeking accreditation will increase to 100%. The
ICAVL will seek to achieve more visibility and recognition
in the industry, by reminding sponsors and board members
of their need to promote the ICAVL, and by researching
those labs who have ordered materials yet have not applied.
Goal
6: Application Process. Vascular labs will increasingly
consider the application process to be fair, user-friendly,
valuable, educational, and worth their time. Will continue
to streamline the application process, and provide better
communication with applicant labs.
|
Ongoing Re-Evaluation
The
objective of the Strategic Long-Range Plan is not to become
a course of action to be used once and then discarded. Rather,
it will serve as the overall strategic planning process throughout
the organization. The summary given by Tecker Consultants states:
"In
order to achieve its vision, the ICAVL must not look at strategic
long-range planning as a one-time project that produces a
milestone document of its best thinking at the moment. Instead,
the ICAVL must adopt strategic planning as an operational
philosophy of ongoing re-evaluation of the critical knowledge
bases that form the framework of its world."
This
strategic long-range plan is to be implemented as a guide for
the organization over the next five years. The plan will be
updated on an annual basis or as necessary based on such variables
as new opportunities, challenges, or experiences that cause
it to evolve.
Top
of Page
Want
more
news?
|
