Strategic Planning: Establishing Real Change

By R. Dale Walker, M.D.
Chair
Task Force on Strategic Planning

Strategic planning is a process of establishing our Association's destiny rather than waiting for external events to force our hurried response. By assessing our future opportunities along with our priorities, we can ensure a more effective and responsive organization.

APA is loosely assembled around district branches at the local level, with a centralized national governance. We have a large volunteer, part-time leadership with a cadre of permanent support staff to address the almost infinite number of issues affecting our members and our patients. The potential for divergence of the agenda, in splitting of our efforts, is high.

In May 1997 the APA Task Force on Strategic Planning began a major effort to provide a dynamic strategic plan complete with vision, mission, goals, and values for this organization. The concept was that our members wanted clear objectives to represent the interests of both members and our patients. These objectives would drive the work and funding of APA by matching the budget to the priorities in a manner allowing for zero-based budgeting and ranking our numerous actions in the context of organizational priorities. I'm pleased to report to you that this segment of our task force's work is now completed.

It is our members' perceived value for membership dues that is the lynchpin holding the success of APA. We have had a recent decline in membership, as have many other medical associations. It is now, more than ever, that etwe must unite our membership around our strategic plan. This plan has been in place, approved by the Board of Trustees since December 1997 (Psychiatric News, January 2). Our budgeting process now incorporates our highest priorities into the budget itself.

The APA Task Force on Strategic Planning is managing a 1998 program that has been authorized by the Assembly and the Board of Trustees. These projects include (1) strategies for restructuring the Association to promote a high level of responsibility, accountability, effectiveness, and efficiency in the conduct of APA's business by its governing body and its member components; (2) strategies for increasing APA's membership recruitment, satisfaction, and retention; (3) a process for establishing organizational priorities for APA at strategic operational and budgetary levels.

Preliminary conclusions and recommendations for all these areas are being developed by the APA Task Force on Strategic Planning. The task force will refine its conclusions, recommendations, and strategies at a meeting later this month for presentation to the Board of Trustees next month. Based on the Trustees' input and reaction, the task force will finalize its recommendations for the presentation to the Assembly and the Board in the fall. The presentation will include implementation and communication steps needed to accomplish progress in all areas of the task force report.

The task force has worked effectively and diligently over the past several months. In addition, we have made major efforts to communicate with members in all parts of this organization. Clearly, how members value their membership in APA directly impacts the power and effectiveness of our Association. We have taken major steps to assess the needs and desires of our entire membership with a special focus on members paying full dues, early career psychiatrists, underrepresented members, and allied psychiatric organization members. Members of the task force have noticed that there is increasing interest in strategic planning at the district branch and Area Council levels. We will do everything we can to provide consultation and support as we think through our organization's structure and future directions.

Strategic planning can encourage all employees and members to achieve a higher level of functioning and performance. It can ensure optimal allocation of scarce monetary and personnel resources. Finally, members and staff will understand their stake in APA with increased positive feelings about the future of APA and themselves.

As we begin to organize ourselves for psychiatry in the next millennium, APA must continue to be a strong player in ensuring leadership in the development of policy in the mental health field and protecting our patients' right to care. We must also cautiously ensure the continued fiscal viability of our organization and directly connect our activities with member involvement and member satisfaction. The task force would appreciate your comments and your suggestions in regard to our organization's future. We invite you to fax information to me at (202) 842-5844 or e-mail me at chart@psych.org.

Our task force has made an absolute commitment to openness and sharing of all information in regard to strategic planning and future directions. You are invited to participate in the process.