Strategic planning, something that has been a part of Three Rivers Health over the years, will receive increased attention in coming months.

Larry Hermen, a veteran member of the Three Rivers Health Authority Board and now secretary of the board, has been encouraging his fellow board members to devote time at each monthly board meeting to what he terms “bigger picture issues.”  And the March meeting Thursday morning (March 26th) brought a consensus to do just that.

Hermen noted that “there was quite a bit of interest” in strategic planning during the February board meeting and shared a two-page list of issues for discussion, generated from an e-mail he sent to board members.  During Thursday’s meeting, each was asked to identify their “top two” issues from the list to help get the strategic planning process underway.  The tally from the input received showed the top vote-getter to be this question and its sub-points:

Should TRH seek to expand the hospital authority, beyond the four townships and the City of Three Rivers?

•    Should more of the service area’s residents who benefit from TRH pay financially to support the hospital?
•    What about a countywide authority involving Sturgis?
•    What are the next steps?

Second in the voting was this question with four sub-points:

Should TRH explore a strategic partnership (affiliation) with another healthcare facility to improve its long-term viability?

•    What conditions or circumstances would be acceptable in a partnership?
•    What advantages would we be looking for?
•    What are non-negotiables that we are unwilling to make in a partnership?
•    If a partnership is desired, what are the next steps?

Two questions from the list tied for third place:

•    What are the “health and well being” needs and wants of our constituency?
•    What is the likelihood that providing “needed” services can be financially viable?

Dialogue on the hospital authority expansion question is expected to be an agenda item for the next regular board meeting on April 30th.

For additional insights into this topic through an interview with Larry Hermen (4:49), recorded by Bruce Snook of the River Country Journal, click here.