ABSTRACT
Strategic planning should be a continuing programme and not a one-off exercise, so that a flexible approach can be taken to changing circumstances. The process and the benefits of strategic planning are summarized. This chapter develops the concepts embodied in this summary from first principles, as a thorough understanding of the principles is essential to a successful planning outcome. The strategic approach for medical practices is an attempt to evaluate the present position of the business of medical practice, with reference to the business as it has evolved over previous years, its current competitors and its consumers. Evaluation of the relative business position of an organization can be achieved by a number of methods. One method commonly used is Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats (SWOT) analysis, which has the particular advantage of providing information in a format that is fairly rigorous, yet easy to understand.
