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In This Issue:
In the early stages of this strategy work, we surveyed more than 700 clinical and administrative leaders across BW/F and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to understand their perspectives about our current strengths, challenges and the external environment. Because we cannot predict exactly how the future will unfold, we must use assumptions as the basis for our strategic decisions.
Being clear about our assumptions allows us to stay the course if what we have assumed becomes true, and to adapt our strategy if things play out differently than we anticipated. It is important for these assumptions to be well understood throughout our institution to ensure that everyone is clear about the core concepts on which strategic decisions have been made. There is broad agreement about a number of important assumptions that serve as the basis for our strategic direction. They include:
While the strength of the BW/F reputation is important and will help sustain the institution in the short-term, our reputation alone will be insufficient to ensure long-term success.
The same is true for quality and patient safety. Providing high-quality care will be necessary, but quality alone will be insufficient for future success.
Research and education are critical to BW/F’s future. Both research and education represent core contributions to our ongoing excellence, and they also play a significant role in attracting clinicians, trainees, researchers, patients and funding to the hospital.
BW/F is committed to improving access and health outcomes for underserved populations at the local, national and global levels.
BW/F is highly susceptible to losing volume if we cannot reduce our cost structure and better utilize our distributed campus. It will be very difficult to replace lost volume.
We need to improve coordination of care (or even pursue consolidation opportunities) within the BW/F system, between BW/F and the other entities within Partners HealthCare, with our network partners and with our referring physicians.
We need to reduce variation in clinical practice and operations.
It is not clear precisely how reimbursement will change, but we know we will be asked to do more with fewer resources.