summarize Management is the process of planning, controlling, leading, and organizing the activities of an organization. In healthcare, management is necessary for the entire organization, as well as for the departments making up the organization. Securing effective management practices within an organization or department establishes a positive direction to successfully deliver end results, and to do this, strategic planning is necessary. A strategy is a course of action designed to produce a desired (business) outcome and a strategic plan is the document in which the leadership of a healthcare organization identifies the overall mission, vision, and goals to help define the long-term direction of the organization as a business entity. Strategic planning includes an analysis of how an organization will react to changes in the external environment in the foreseeable future. Successful management practices also encompass work processes, project management and finance, all of which are described throughout this chapter