For this assessment, you will perform an environmental analysis for a health care organization. To accomplish this, you need to select a health care organization. This may be an organization where you currently work, a place where you want to work, or an organization about which you would like to learn more. You may select one from any of these sectors, or you may select a sector not listed here that directly reflects your career plans:
Long-term care.
Mid-sized facility.
Behavioral health hospital.
Large urban hospital.
Small rural hospital.
Freestanding facility.
Telehealth organization.
Government/military.
Integrated delivery network (IDN).
Make your selection carefully. If you choose your own organization, it will be easier to obtain the kind of information you need to complete the assessment. If you do not select your own organization, you might want to consider a larger health care provider (for example, Cigna, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealth Group, or Blue Cross Blue Shield) that publishes the organizations directional strategy. You may also select a type of organization from the provided list, but recognize you will still be expected to gather marketing information, benchmark data, financial summaries, and other relevant information.
In addition, you may wish to review the assessment instructions and scoring guide to ensure that you understand the work you will be asked to complete.
Note: Remember that you can submit all, or a portion, of your draft analysis to Smarthinking Tutoring for feedback before you submit the final version for this assessment. If you plan to use this free service, be mindful that the turnaround time to receive feedback is 2448 hours.
Scenario
Your manager is responsible for updating the organizations strategic plan. She has asked you to do some of the legwork and complete an environmental analysis. This analysis will help your organization scan the external and internal environments and identify current challenges and opportunities that will enable it to prepare for the future.
Requirements
Analyze your selected organizations external and internal environments. The MHA Program Library Guide can help direct your research. The Supplemental Resources and Research Resources, both linked in the navigation menu in your courseroom, provide additional resources to support you.
You may use any contemporary environmental analysis tool included in the strategic management planning process to conduct your analysis. Examples include PESTLE analysis, Michael Porters 5 Forces model, and Levels of Competition model.
Remember, your analysis must address both your selected organizations external and internal environments. In addition, your analysis must include all of the elements listed below.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS REQUIREMENTS
The requirements, outlined below, correspond to the grading criteria in the Current Environmental Analysis Scoring Guide, so be sure to address each point. Read the performance-level descriptions for each criterion to see how your work will be assessed.
Evaluate the organizations directional strategy, as reflected in its vision, mission, and values.
Identify key industry structural features determining the forces governing competition.
Write a clear, concise, well-organized, professional, and generally error-free environmental analysis that supports conclusions with relevant evidence.
Follow current APA formatting and style guidelines for citations and references.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS
Length: 57 double-spaced, typed pages. The goal is to focus on applying new concepts and gaining new insights. Keep it brief and substantive.
Note: Feel free to construct images/diagrams, such as PESTL tables, to summarize information where appropriate and to highlight key information.
Formatting: Narrative can be written in a memo or white paper format since these are used in the health care workplace. Format citations according to current APA style and formatting guidelines, including a works cited page.
Number of sources: Use a minimum of six current, scholarly, and authoritative sources to support your analysis.
Scoring guide: Be sure to review this assessments scoring guide to understand how your faculty member will evaluate your work.
