The Strategic Plan

Here follows a briefing given during our recent video teleconference. It is intended as a work in progress. Further revisions to this plan are anticipated and recommendations for revisions by DoD audiologists are welcomed.

Audiology Strategic Planning Meeting Summary

  • DOD Audiology Mission Statement
  • DOD Audiology Vision Statement
  • DOD Audiology Values
  • Critical Success Factors

DOD Audiology Mission Statement
To ensure operational readiness and quality-of-life to the Fighting Force and eligible beneficiaries by providing cost-effective hearing health care through state-of-the-art audiological services, including prevention, medical surveillance, education, and research.

DOD Audiology Vision Statement

We will strategically place military audiologists to support the Fighting Force for success on the modern battlefield. Military audiologists will be recognized as primary experts and providers of hearing health care by 2002. We will achieve pre-eminence in preventing disease-non-battle-injury. We will emerge as leaders in preventive medicine activities by promoting education and research to enhance operational readiness.

DOD Audiology Values

  • “Mission First”
  • Aggressive Innovation
  • Focus on Communication Success
  • Teamwork
  • Vision

Critical Success Factors

  • Customer Focus
  • Readiness
  • Internal Processes
  • Strategic Processes
  • Leadership Processes

Customer Focus

If we…

  • Market our role in preventive medicine activities
  • Become recognized as primary experts and providers of hearing health care
  • We document our success in prevention

then we will be successful

Readiness

If we…

  • Reduce noise-induced hearing loss
  • Become involved in enhancing communication on the battlefield
  • Earn recognition as vital member of preventive medicine team in deployment and re-deployment health care
  • Develop military specific applications of audiology

then we will be successful

Internal Processes

If we…

  • Universally refocus on preventive medicine
  • Redesign education and training programs

then we will be successful

Strategic Processes

If we…

  • Reengineer management approach to succeed in Managed Care

then we will be successful

Leadership Processes

If we…

  • Develop tri-service strategy for increased cooperation
  • Develop preventive medicine career track

then we will be successful

Goals and Objectives for Critical Success Factors

Customer Focus:

Market Role in Preventive Medicine

  • Develop Marketing Package by Feb 98
  • Develop List of Target Audiences
  • Develop Web Page

Document Success

  • Customer Satisfaction Survey
  • Standardize Hearing Conservation Statistics
  • “Tell the Story” of Preventive Role

Become Recognized As Hearing Health Experts

  • Influence Key Leaders and Decision-Makers Re: Staff/Personnel Size and Roles
  • Develop Clinical Pathways
  • Become #1 Choice of Health Care Finders for Hearing Health Care

Readiness:

Reduce Noise-Induced Hearing Loss

  • Reduce # of Threshold Shifts
  • Increase Training of Warfighters and Leaders
  • Increase Use of Hearing Protection
  • Engineering Involvement (Kevlars, Weapons, Etc)
  • Explore Research Applications

Enhance Communication on Battlefield

  • Increase Research in Noise Cancellation/Active Noise Reduction
  • Participate in Research in Hearing Sensor Technology
  • Increase Presence in Technology Related to Hearing Science

Earn Recognition As PM Team for Deployment/Re-Deployment

  • Become Involved With Special Response Program (SRP) Teams
  • Installation SRP Member
  • Become Involved With Birth Month Review Programs/Unit-Based Screening Programs
  • Develop of Deployment Rating System
  • Get Audiologists Assigned to PM Slots

Develop Military Specific Applications of Audiology

  • Develop Operational Modality Programs (Mine-Sweeping, Sonar, Etc)
  • Become Involved With Defense Language Institute to Facilitate Improved Communication
  • Develop Hearing Requirement Criteria for AFSC

Internal Processes:

Universally Refocus on Preventive Medicine

  • Get Buy-in From Colleagues
  • Get PM Officers in Rating Chain

Redesign Education and Training Programs

  • Develop Career Paths
  • In Recruiting, Market Self As Industrial Audiology
  • Impact Curriculum to Increase Preventive Medicine
  • Include Audiology Education and Practice in Preventive Medicine Education

Strategic Processes:

Re-engineer Management Approach to Succeed in Managed Care

  • Go to Health Care Finder and Market Selves
  • Increase/Explore VA Cost-Sharing
  • Explore Partnership in Managed Care Arena
  • Universalize Retiree Hearing Aid Procurement Program

Leadership Processes:

Develop Tri-Service Strategy for Increased Participation

  • Develop Mentoring Across Service Lines Based on Proximity
  • Develop and Implement DoD Audiology Strategic Plan
  • Develop Core Curriculum/Competencies
  • Formalize Area-Specific Specialists
  • Develop Leadership Career Track

Develop Preventive Medicine Career Track

  • Identify Schooling/Training Requirement/Opportunities
  • Determine Assignment Requirements/Opportunities

Where Do We Go From Here?

  • Re-visit Mission, Vision, Goals
  • Objectives
  • Task
  • Key Processes
  • Goal Owner
  • Working Owner