Comprehensive SWOT analysis for the Proposed performance Improvement Plan - Essay Example

Topic: Swot Analysis of Proposed Performance Improvement Plan Strength The resources and capabilities of theMedical Surgical Telemetry unit at California Pacific Medical Center can be utilized as the basis for development of advantage in executing the proposed improvement plan. An improvement plan is a critical administrative resource which assists in improving the competitive position of the medical center. There are various strengths of the improvement plan such as unique competence in core areas of the medical surgical telemetry Unit, efficiency in terms of exclusive access to state-of-the-art resources and equipment as well as a labor force with sufficient skillsets.

Additionally, the improvement plan will also be a basis for sufficient financial resources for the Unit from the California Pacific Medical Center, a better image and reputation for the unit along with insulation from any pressures that might arise from other units in the medical center. The improvement plan will further allow the unit to offer differentiated services while offering cost advantages originating from the improved processes, which will be beneficial to the rest of the medical center.

Weakness A weakness is an aspect or attribute that puts an organization at a disadvantage with the lack of particular strengths being considered as weakness (Schulz & Johnson, 2003). Weaknesses in the improvement plan may result in the medical surgical telemetry unit facing some vulnerability to various pressures. Weakness needs close assessment since some of them may have negative consequences to the organization. A number of the weaknesses intrinsic in the improvement plan of the in the medical surgical telemetry unit include: having an indistinct strategic direction, working with outmoded facilities, inadequate management vision including depth and skills as well as difficulties in raising capital to execute the implementation plan.

Additionally, outdated technology in the unit, low morale on the part of the employees, poor previous record in executing strategies and poor image to the rest of the medical center are some of the weaknesses that may affect the implementation plan. OpportunitiesOpportunities are seen as advantageous situations that can be used to benefit the organization and is offered from the outside environment so that the management can choose the manner in which they can best use it (Garcarz, Chambers & Ellis, 2003).

Opportunities may arise as a consequence of favorable changes in the external environment or from a productive approach created by the management in making the environment beneficial. Some of the opportunities in the case of the implementation plan designed for the Medical Surgical Telemetry unit include possibilities of fulfilling the needs of the patients which have not yet been fulfilled, complacency in similar departments of other organizations, better management under the guidance of the implementation plan and vertical and horizontal integration within the unit.

ThreatsChanges in the external environment may create threats to an organization and the management should have the capacity to forecast this form of possible threats while preparing strategies in a way that the threat can be neutralized (Thomas, 2003). Some of the threats that the improvement plan my face include shifts in the preference of patients from the medical center to other healthcare facilities, emergence of better units in other institutions, shortages of resources to make the implementation successful and changes in the demographic composition of clients.

The medical center must be keen to ensure that these threats do not hinder the execution of the implementation plan and its efficiency. ReferencesGarcarz, W., Chambers, R., & Ellis, S. (2003). Make your healthcare organisation a learning organisation. Abingdon, U.K.: Radcliffe Medical Press.Schulz, R., & Johnson, A. (2003). Management of hospitals and health services. Washington, D.C.: Beard Books.Thomas, R. (2003). Health services planning. New York: Kluwer Academic/Plenum Publishers.