Globally, cancer wellness centers are at the forefront of revamping health-care systems and patient opportunities. As the populace ages and the number of cancer diagnoses rise, patients are taking charge of their own health care and seeking out successful wellness facilities. Patients are more educated consumers than ever before. They choose hospitals and doctors by reputation, and their access to quality care. For a wellness center to develop and thrive in this competitive environment, the organization needs a creative and proactive business plan.
Instructions
1. Proactively plan and supervise in a multifaceted and always-changing financial environment. Develop a five-year strategic plan outlining revenue and identifying aspects that affect the profitability of the program. That plan should also include a vision and mission statement for the organization, an assessment of internal and external cost issues, the recognition of four major strategic goals, and the development of 50 specific proposals to be executed to carry out the goals of the organization.
2. Design programs and contact leading experts in your area for advice and possible involvement as a healer, lecturer or board member. Place a strong emphasis on staff and training. Offer regular programs/classes/events on an assortment of cancer wellness and management issues, such as the side-effects of chemotherapy, eating for health, pain management and living with lymphedema.
3. Offer comprehensive care plans that treat the whole person, not simply the disease. Centers that support body, mind and spirit are most sought after in the cancer community. For example, the Cancer Treatment Centers of America offers Conventional Treatments like surgery and chemotherapy alongside complementary therapies such as acupuncture and spiritual support. Combining long-established cancer care programs with sophisticated complementary/alternative healing helps increase recovery rates.
4. Create a coordinated, customer-focused patient care program that is both well-organized and cost-effective using the relationships within the health care community. Look for ways to creatively partner with other organizations to increase market share. For example Seattle's Cancer Lifeline holds regular cancer wellness and management classes at the local area hospitals for their cancer patients. This symbiotic relationship is a win-win for everyone--patient, wellness center, doctors and hospitals.
5. Provide access to the most recent technology and cancer management in surgery, chemotherapy, radiation therapy, pain management, nutrition counseling, cooking classes, naturopathic medicine, oncology, mind-body medicine, spiritual support and grief counseling---if not all in one location, like a clinic or a hospital, then through strategically planned and endorsed providers. Make the information available to patients and providers through a far-reaching marketing program of on- and off-site classes, partnerships with hospitals, universities, yoga studios and health food stores. Develop a website with an ongoing outreach newsletter filled with wellness information like Seattle's 24-Hour Cancer Lifeline.
6. Devise a wide-ranging marketing approach that will fuel your programs of integrative and compassionate care, give added value to your grant request and position you as a leader in the community. Enact an ongoing fundraising program with at least two annual major events. To raise investment capital and ongoing donations, focus energy on developing relationships and partnerships through philanthropic initiatives with cancer-based foundations in the community and across the country. Susan Komen and Candlelighters Childhood Cancer Foundation are two good examples of foundations that seek community partners.
Tags: cancer wellness, Cancer Lifeline, cancer wellness management, health care, pain management, spiritual support, surgery chemotherapy
