PLANNING IS AN ESSENTIAL PART of modern organisations
and is integral to the role of a health service
manager. The planning activity emerges as a consequence
of the need to contain costs, manage health
outcomes, and be held accountable for the effective,
efficient and equitable provision of health services.
Amidst the challenge to operate within the current
resource (ie, financial, human and time) capacity
there is an imperative to explore and
develop innovative service delivery
models to meet increased demand and
expectations. Therefore, textbooks on
the subject of planning in health-related
topic areas are a valuable resource in
these very challenging times in health
care.