CONSAD Research Corporation
Strategic Planning
In conjunction with its long range planning process, the March of Dimes engaged CONSAD to provide a variety of strategic planning support services. These includes secondary and primary research on health policy issues, statistical data gathering, a review of information technologies; briefings to internal and external committees and advisory boards, and the Board of Trustees; and facilitation of group meetings.
The initial focus was the preparation of an external environmental scan which examined five principal topic areas: health care policy, social change, economic change, political implications and events, and technological change. Research in these issues was conducted by a team of senior CONSAD analysts. In addition to research with secondary data and government statistics, and on the Internet, CONSAD also interviewed health care and health policy experts across the country.
CONSAD presented initial findings to March of Dimes advisory groups and then facilitated discussions on the external environment and internal operating needs. These meetings added depth and widened the scope of the research being performed for the scan. CONSAD then briefed the March of Dimes Board of Trustees on its findings.
Senior CONSAD staff members and March of Dimes staff conducted interviews with Board of Trustees members in order to highlight their concerns and to develop initial focal points of the Boards goals and strategy discussions.