Introduction
A SWOT analysis is a tool used to assess strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats that a firm is likely to encounter in its operations. A SWOT analysis will enable Claremont Rehabilitation and Living Center to take note of conditions that exist in the business environment in which it operates. Yoder-Wise (2010) argues that this tool helps managers to plan long term strategies to enable their firms to attain positive results (p. 144).
Managers will be able to organize various departments properly by assessing the number of resources that need to be allocated to each department. Therefore, they will be in a position to identify priorities in the rehabilitation center that need to be tackled. The firm’s management will be in a better position to direct other members of staff to perform responsibilities assigned to them effectively. Therefore, this will improve managers’ control of the organization (Walshe & Smith, 2011, p. 454). They will be able to implement high-quality standards in all activities which the firm does to ensure positive results are attained.
Practice Setting Description
The facility to be reviewed is Claremont Rehabilitation and Living Center. It has 200 beds and is located in Buffalo Grove, Illinois. The facility serves patients who have different forms of addiction who are taken through different interventions to help them overcome their addictions. The facility serves all patients irrespective of their gender, age, ethnicity and social status. The facility is located in an isolated environment, which is far away from the bustle of urban life. It is owned by a private holding firm, comprising several stockholders who sit on its board. They meet regularly to pass decisions regarding the way internal operations in the firm are run.
Strengths
The facility is located in an isolated setting, whose environment favors patient recovery. There is little noise, pollution as well as human activities around the area, which encourages patients to concentrate on therapy sessions. The equipment also contributes to good treatment outcomes among patients. The firm has established a strong network with schools, churches and other rehabilitation centers within the state of Illinois. This has impacted positively the reputation across the state. The facility has a strong team of professionals who are capable of dealing with different cases of addictions in patients; it also has a strong network of volunteers, who share their experiences with patients to help them cope with their difficulties.
Weaknesses
The facility is not well publicized, and this impacts negatively its operations; it only serves patients who suffer from different forms of addictions, thus limiting its growth potential. It has a well-trained staff that can treat patients with different conditions, such as depression, trauma, and physical, emotional and sexual abuse, yet they do not utilize their skills effectively. The facility neither has proper therapy programs which are necessary for patients’ recovery, nor does it give voluntary workers enough time to interact with patients housed there. Patients need to interact with former addicts to come to terms with their predicaments. The facility has poor staffing and recruitment policy which does not motivate workers that achieve positive outcomes in their workstations.
Opportunities
The facility needs to increase the number of services it offers to patients. It needs to begin serving patients with other psychological problems that are different from addictions. There are many victims of violence, child abuse, sexual abuse and emotional trauma who need assistance to cope with their conditions. The facility needs to change its market strategy to take advantage of these opportunities. Volunteers need to be given more training to work as community therapists. This will help the facility to establish various outreach programs where people with different psychological problems can be attended to at the community level. The firm also needs to open up branches in other states to take advantage of opportunities that exist there.
Threats
The firm’s financial management systems should be overhauled to improve transparency. The firm lacks strong internal controls, in its turn jeopardizing the performance of its key departments in the long run. The firm’s competitors have well-structured programs which engage patients after their discharge to find out their progress. This has weakened the firm’s competitive edge in the market. The firm lacks the resources needed to initiate crucial changes in internal operations. This has slowed down its growth in the industry. The firm’s competitors have better marketing and promotional strategies, which negatively influence its ability to get new customers. The firm has weak customer care policies. The firm receives fewer returning customers which has an impact on its long-term operations in the market.
Recommendations
The firm needs to introduce more services to increase the number of customers it receives.
The firm needs to market its services more by partnering with other health institutions to establish synergies.
The firm needs to conduct market research in the state of Illinois to evaluate the viability of new opportunities, which will help it to grow its profile in the market.
The firm needs to strengthen internal controls to improve the quality of services it offers to patients.
References
Walshe, K., & Smith, J. (2011). Healthcare management. New York, NY: Mc-Graw Hill International.
Yoder-Wise, P. (2010). Leading and managing in nursing. Maryland Heights, MO: Mosby.