Strategic Information Management: Essential Alignment

Abstract

Data and information are the lifeblood of the modern healthcare organization. As such, it is imperative that leaders in the clinical and health information technology organizational units utilize strategic management that complements and contributes to the overall organizational strategies. There are several steps needed to implement strategic management, including internal and external environmental scanning, a SWOT analysis, the creation of vision and mission statements, culminating in the creation of an information strategy. The information strategy itself has multiple components, including stakeholders, objectives, targets, critical success factors, measures and more granular tasks and tactics. Most importantly, the information strategy must be evaluated to determine whether or not the objectives are being met. Optimally, not all objectives would be met, indicating the presence of stretch goals that required the organizational unit to grow in new and different ways. Clinical and health information professionals must be able to be strategic thinkers and ensure their operations support the strategy.KeywordsStrategic managementStrategyPlanningVisionMission