Mission Statement and Strategic Planning for SETMA, LLP
Working Document (revised May, 1997)
Mission Statement:
Southeast Texas Medical Associates, LLP was formed by Drs. Finley, Holly and Wilson to develop a vehicle through which they, and other healthcare providers, could continue to provide quality, private healthcare to their patients and to Southeast Texas in the changing healthcare environment which is increasingly dominated by managed care. SETMA, LLP is also intended to provide a means for interacting synergistically with managed care to:
- Maintain the health of our patients
- Maintain quality of life for our patients
- And, to do this is in a cost-effective way.
SETMA is committed to:
- The maintaining of the traditional physician-patient relationship, where the first concern is the patient’s welfare, and where, even though the patient benefits from a group-practice setting, the patient identifies himself or herself with their personal physician. And, where the patient’s healthcare needs are met in a caring and trusting environment.
- Providing the best technical support for the accomplishment of these purposes, including the providing of ancillary services, which augment this commitment, and which increases the patient’s confidence that no avenue, beneficial for the maintaining of their health or the regaining of that health, has been overlooked.
- Developing and providing for patients preventive healthcare strategies which assist the patient in their personal efforts to maintain their health at the highest possible level.
- Providing these services in a professional environment in which the dignity, personhood and respect for each patient is maintained as evidenced by the courtesy, consideration, kindness and professionalism with which the patient is addressed.
Two principles undergird SETMA’s mission statement and are stated in our public and private mottoes:
- Public Motto: Healthcare where your health is the only care! This means that SETMA will undertake no plans or programs, which do not have at their foundation the best interest of our patients. And, SETMA will participate in no healthcare payment plan, which either by its intent or design neglects the best interest of our patients.
- Private Motto: Doing good while we are doing well! This means that while SETMA is a for-profit organization, SETMA will always concentrate of doing “good” - helping others and providing quality healthcare even for those who cannot afford it - while SETMA is doing well - providing financial support for our employees and their families, and providing income and benefits for the healthcare providers who work with and for SETMA.
SETMA has a number of Internal Strengths:
- Outstanding healthcare providers committed to excellent medicine, all of whom have excellent reputations in our community.
- Willingness among healthcare providers to cooperate for a common good and goal.
- Excitement and enthusiasm of a growing group practice, where our patients enjoy being a part of something which is obviously prospering.
- Excellent and career-minded management, which understands and practices:
- Economy of scale
- Cost controls
- Financial accountability
- Cash flow management
- Capitalization
- Review of invoices and performance of vendors
- Accounting principles for evaluation of practice performance
- Personnel management, including performance review, correction of problems and job satisfaction.
- Proper “overhead” review
- An organizational Infrastructure which supports growth, including physical facilities, laboratory capacity, accounting procedures, business systems, financial responsibility and management skills.
- Computerization of all facets of practice - appointments, billing, collections - with the capacity to analyze and track income recover for each insurance company with whom SETMA contracts for services.
- State-of-the-art dictation equipment for maintaining of excellent medical records which are organized numerically.
- Unanimous agreement among the Capital Partners, which are comprised of the three founding partners.
- Two layers of management, which provide stability, efficiency and focus to the activities of SETMA:
- The Capital Partners are responsible for insuring that the policies and/or decisions of SETMA do not violate the founding principles of the organization. The founding partners will serve as the Capital Partners until their resignation, retirement or death. When one of these partners resigns, retires or expires, a new member of the Capital Partners may be elected by a unanimous vote of the surviving Executive Partners.
- The Executive Management Team, which is comprised of the Managing Partner, who shall be elected by the Capital Partners, the Director of Nurse Practitioners, the Practice Administrator, the Assistant Administrator for Insurance/Collections, the Assistant Administrator for Laboratory, and other members who shall be appointed by the Capital Partners. The day-to-day management of SETMA shall be delegated to the Managing Partner and to the Practice Administrator.
- Entrepreneurial spirit of the partners of SETMA, which spirit is defined by the Mission Statement and other commitments made by SETMA.
- Excellent support staff who are ultimately responsible for the success of SETMA.
- Financial planning and holding funds in reserve for known future expenses.
- Negotiating ability of partners and management to obtain best possible cost from vendors.
SETMA has External Strengths as well:
- City of Beaumont and the surrounding area with a stable economy and an attractive community for industry, families and other businesses.
- Relationship with St. Elizabeth Hospital. SETMA is an independent, private practice, owned by Drs. Finley, Holly and Wilson, but has a close, working relationship with the Sisters of Charity. This partnership of interests works toward providing our patients with excellent healthcare.
- SETMA is ready and willing to develop similar relationships with Southeast Texas Baptist Hospital and/or Columbia Medical Center.
- Community’s attitude toward SETMA, LLP. The positive response of the community to SETMA is a great advantage to our growth and development.
- Support from other non-medical professionals
SETMA’s Goals are:
- To design and establish an outstanding vehicle for the delivery of quality, primary-health care in the Golden Triangle, which would include a presence in:
- Beaumont
- Lumberton
- Vidor
- Mid-County
- South County
- Others
- To maintain a pace-setting, state-of-the-art laboratory and x-ray department, and to provide ancillary services appropriate for a primary, healthcare clinic.
- To associate with specialists who share SETMA’s commitment to quality, compassionate care.
- To provide an improved quality of life for all healthcare providers enabling them to participate in volunteer programs around the world for the providing of healthcare in underdeveloped areas.
- To provide the best possible life-style for our employees consistent with a sound business plan in the marketplace in which we work.
- To provide an income for healthcare providers which enables them to fulfill their personal financial goals?
- To provide healthcare practitioners the ability to successfully interact with managed care companies to maintain a reasonable return on services and to maintain a means for negotiating with these companies for the continuation of private, primary healthcare.
- To influence the form and substance of healthcare delivery in Southeast Texas for the next thirty years.
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