One of the first steps of strategic planning is evaluating the existing mission and vision statements.  These statements provide guidance for the overall direction of the organization and set the tone for all strategy development. 

A mission statement should clearly describe why the organization exists and specify who the organization serves (e.g. “Cloud Hospital exists to provide quality healthcare services to our 3-county region”).  It also helps to consider whether the organization’s focus is on the health services within its institution, or if population health also plays a role in its purpose.

A vision statement should provide a roadmap for the organization’s future.  It should be memorable, challenging, and provide hope (e.g. (“Rainbow Healthcare will be a national leader in quality”).    

If the existing mission and vision statements do not meet these characteristics, then new statements should be developed to ensure future strategies will fulfill the organization’s purpose and aspirations.  During this process, it’s important to get stakeholder input and to develop statements that everyone can get behind.  Once finalized, these statements will provide direction for the rest of the strategic plan, and help to convey the organization’s goals to staff members.