Technology Strategic Planning Process

Establish a Medical Technology Advisory Committee:

When annual clinical strategic planning has started and hospital leaders have begun to analyze or reaffirm what clinical services they want to offer the community, the hospital can then conduct credible technology strategic planning. Key elements of this planning involve an initial audit of existing technologies for fit with current or desired clinical services, plan for replacement and selection of new technologies, setting priorities for technology acquisition, and developing a process to implement equipment acquisition and monitor ongoing utilization. "Increasingly, hospitals are designating a senior manager (e.g., and administrator, the director of planning, the director of clinical engineering) to take the responsibility for technology assessment and planning. That person should have the primary responsibility for developing the strategic plan with the help of key physicians, department managers, and senior executives.

Hospitals can form a Medical Technology Advisory Committee (MTAC), overseen by the designated senior manager and consisting of the type of members mentioned above, to conduct the strategic technology planning process, and to annually recommend technology priorities to the hospital Strategic Planning Committee and Capital Budget Committee (see Figure 2.1). It is important to involve physicians and nurses in this process.