APMA Strategic Planning: Thoughts From a Current Trustee

What does it mean for an organization to be strategic? Why is it important? How does a strategic plan differ from an operational plan? Can a membership organization become ineffective by trying to do too many things? How can a membership organization effectively serve its members and fulfill its mission statement/vision?

I am in my eighth year on the American Podiatric Medical Association (APMA) Board of Trustees (BOT). The tenure for a Trustee is thirteen years requiring re-election every three years for those elected before 2022. The term is eleven years for those elected in 2022 and after that. The BOT is elected by the APMA House of Delegates (HOD) to represent the membership. Being a Trustee is a volunteer position demanding significant time and effort. The BOTs are dedicated to serving our colleagues and leaving the profession better than when we entered our leadership positions. It becomes a life mission for many of us.

APMA's strategic planning takes place every three to five years and is reviewed annually. The strategic plan becomes the lens through which the BOT and APMA staff develop and implement their operational plan to direct the profession. Strategic planning is about future direction and not business as usual; it is about change.

The APMA Bylaws mention strategic planning twice in the entire document, both times related to the duties and responsibilities of the BOT.¹ Based on the Bylaws, strategic planning is arguably the BOT's most important job. The BOTs collaborate with APMA staff, integrating feedback from the HOD to create the strategic plan. The logistics of the process include several surveys, virtual meetings, and an in-person meeting with the BOT and APMA staff led by a facilitator to maximize the process effectiveness. The in-person meeting for our current strategic planning is in the middle of June 2022, with follow-up work on the back to end to synthesize the work into a workable blueprint.

In my opinion, the profession is at a crossroads. The opportunity to move forward boldly without fear to secure the future for those podiatric physicians following in our footsteps is hanging in the balance. Equally important is securing the podiatry's essential role in the health care system, especially with the forthcoming changes in value-based care models. Our patients depend upon us to ensure they have access to our education, training, and experience to resolve their conditions, ease their pain, and improve their health and quality of life.

The temptation to do everything can often lead not-for-profit organizations to try and be all things to everyone, resulting in ineffectiveness. Precision and focused strategic planning can result in difficult decisions. Some projects and services may not align with a new strategic plan and therefore be removed. Defining the essential pillars of the organization with precisely aligned goals and action plans to accomplish the goals is the mandate placed on our shoulders. Established metrics to evaluate progress toward the intended purpose are vital to making the strategic plan a vibrant, living document.

It is a heavy burden, but your team is up to the challenge. The process is demanding and challenging, but the opportunity is tremendous. We question, contest, debate, and consider intended and unintended consequences of our decisions to do what we believe is best for the profession ultimately. Change is difficult and uncomfortable, requiring foresight based on data-driven facts mixed with intuition and institutional knowledge. Nevertheless, the BOT and APMA staff embark on our mission with optimism and excitement. We have not completed the journey as of the writing of this blog, but the destination is in sight. And we are laser-focused on a strategic plan that positions the profession securely for the future.

Dr. DeHeer is the Residency Director of the St. Vincent Hospital Podiatry Program in Indianapolis. He is a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Surgeons, a Fellow of the American Society of Podiatric Surgeons, a Fellow of the American College of Foot and Ankle Pediatrics, a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and a Diplomate of the American Board of Podiatric Surgery. Dr. DeHeer is a Partner with Upperline Health and the Medical Director of Upperline Health Indiana. Dr. DeHeer discloses that he is a speaker for Paragon 28.

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Reference

1.    American Podiatric Medical Association Bylaws. Available at: https://www.apma.org/files/2016%20Bylaws.pdf . Published 2016. Accessed June 20, 2022.