SOLUTION: Conducting a Focused SWOT Analysis for Rural Community Hospitals

DDHA 8503 MODULE 3 ASSIGNMENT 1 FOCUSED ANALYSIS INFORMATION

Internal strengths can fit into various categories that include marketing, human resources, assets, and financial. Our textbook provides some valuable tools to analyze financial elements within the HSO, but not everyone will have access to that level of financial information. You can consider asking any of the questions below or using another analysis tool you have located. The internal strengths and weaknesses is also a great category to be completed using focus groups or by conducting a phone interview with the HSO managers or leaders. Strengths: 1. What do we do best? 2. What unique knowledge, talent, or resources do we have? 3. What advantages do we have? 4. What do other people say we do well? 5. What resources do we have available? 6. What is our greatest achievement? Weaknesses: 1. What could we improve? 2. What knowledge, talent, skills and/or resources are we lacking? 3. What disadvantages do we have? 4. What do other people say we do not do well? 5. In what areas do we need more training? 6. What customer complaints have we had about our service?

HSO: I will focus on community hospitals, specifically those operating in rural and underserved areas. These hospitals provide essential healthcare services such as emergency care, primary care, and outpatient services. To provide a more structured and comprehensive analysis, I will use AdventHealth Hendersonville—a rural community hospital within the broader AdventHealth system—as a representative HSO for my study. This organization has implemented telemedicine services and shares many characteristics with smaller community hospitals facing similar operational and technological challenges.

To prepare:

· Review the Learning Resource on research and competitive analysis.

· Review the Learning Resources on internal SWOT analysis.

· Review the Learning Resource on promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion in HSOs.

· Continue to research your selected HSO in depth. The research resources listed in Chapter 3 of your textbook can continue to guide you in your information gathering. It may also be helpful to review additional internal documents, such as annual reports to stakeholders or financial statements, if you have access to them.

· Use your research of your selected HSO and your knowledge of critical success factors in the industry to begin to brainstorm internal factors that could positively or negatively affect your organization.

· As you develop this list of strengths and weaknesses, add details to describe exactly how each strength or weakness could impact your selected HSO.

· Chapter 18 of your textbook explains how to create an internal SWOT analysis and provides an example. Be sure to review the textbook guidance closely and then use the Module 3 Internal SWOT Analysis Template to complete the analysis and associated interpretation questions.

Struggling with where to start this assignment? Follow this guide to tackle your assignment easily!

Step-by-Step Guide for Structuring Your Internal SWOT Analysis

Step 1: Understand the Purpose of the Assignment

This assignment focuses on assessing internal strengths and weaknesses of a selected healthcare service organization (HSO)—in your case, AdventHealth Hendersonville.
Your goal is to explore internal operational dynamics, not external threats or opportunities (those come in a full SWOT).

Step 2: Research Your HSO Thoroughly

Look at:
- The hospital website
- Annual reports or stakeholder updates
- Local news articles about recent initiatives (telemedicine, community programs)
- Information from AdventHealth’s main system
Pay attention to services provided, staff structure, community reputation, and strategic initiatives like telehealth.

Step 3: Use SWOT Questions to Identify Internal Strengths

Answer questions like:

What do they do exceptionally well? (e.g., telemedicine roll-out)
What do others praise them for? (e.g., compassionate care, response times)
What unique resources do they have? (e.g., faith-based network, system-wide backing)

Include specific examples such as:

“AdventHealth Hendersonville was one of the first rural hospitals in North Carolina to adopt virtual care protocols during COVID-19, improving patient access in isolated communities.”

Step 4: Use SWOT Questions to Pinpoint Internal Weaknesses

Dig into areas like:

Staffing shortages in rural areas
Outdated infrastructure or limited in-patient beds
Difficulty in recruiting specialists
Financial limitations

Example:

“Although effective in telehealth, AdventHealth Hendersonville struggles with staffing shortages in behavioral health services, limiting their ability to meet growing demand.”

Step 5: Explain the Impact of Each Strength and Weakness

Don’t just list them—explain how they help or hinder operations.
Use phrases like:
- This strength enables…
- This weakness limits our ability to…

Step 6: Complete the Internal SWOT Analysis Template

Use the Module 3 template provided by your instructor or from Chapter 18 of your textbook. Be sure to:

Fill out all fields
Support each point with evidence or real-world examples
Include citations where appropriate

Step 7: Answer the Interpretation Questions

After completing the SWOT table, reflect:

How do strengths align with strategic goals?
How do weaknesses expose risk?
What actions might leadership consider next?

Recommended Resources to Cite or Explore:

AdventHealth Hendersonville Official Site
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