Board Policy CA-190: Strategic Planning

Effective date: 2022-06-21

Purpose

Define the role of the Board of Directors (the “Board”) as well as the general principles in the strategic planning process.

Definitions

  • Externally: Refers to the following target audiences: Patients and their families, the general public, First Nations, community organizations, awareness-raising and support organizations, associations, and municipalities.
  • Internally: Refers to the following target audiences: Physicians, employees, unions, managers, the Leadership Team, and the Board of Directors.

Policy

The Board must oversee the strategic planning process to develop the vision, mission, and values of the organization and to establish its plan, goals, and strategic directions.

The Board is responsible for approving and monitoring the Strategic Plan.

Strategic planning process framework

  1. Generally speaking, the process takes place in accordance with the following principles:
    1. Advisory process, both internally and externally;
    2. Development of a three-year strategic plan;
    3. Communication of the Strategic Plan and related progress internally and externally.
  2. The strategic planning process includes revision of the following elements, namely the:
    1. Mission statement;
    2. Long-term vision statement;
    3. Values.
  3. This process includes determining the Network’s strengths, weaknesses, threats, and options. For this purpose, the following elements are analyzed:
    1. The public’s health needs across the entire continuum of services;
    2. The political, economic, social, environmental, and technological factors at play;
    3. The previous development plans, including the Strategic Plan and the Regional Health and Business Plan;
    4. The departmental and governmental policies involved as well as the priorities of other stakeholders (e.g. Accreditation Canada).
  4. An environmental scan identifies the organization’s major challenges, and from these emerge the organization’s:
    1. Strategic directions;
    2. Strategic objectives.
  5. Board meetings and/or retreats are held to:
    1. Support and/or reaffirm the vision, mission, and values;
    2. Supervise the strategic planning process and approve the Strategic Plan;
    3. Revise the Strategic Plan as needed and set annual priorities;
    4. Monitor the progress toward achieving the strategic results.
  6. Once the Strategic Plan is developed, all strategic initiatives undertaken by the organization are measured against progress in achieving the plan.
  7. An annual operational plan is developed based on the priorities set by the Board. The plan ensures that all the objectives contained in the Strategic Plan are achieved by the end of the three-year cycle.
  8. The operational plan is under the responsibility of the President and CEO and is an integral part of the management performance appraisal process. The annual objectives are used to set performance objectives for senior managers.
  9. An annual review of the organization’s objectives is conducted by the President and CEO and senior managers for review by the Board.
  10. The Board is provided with regular follow-up and progress reports based on the Board’s annual work plan as well as the Network’s planning cycle.