The Strategic Planning and Evaluation of Planned Parenthood
Julie Carpenter
HCA 421 Health Care Planning & Evaluation
Instructor: Amanda Olderog
January 13, 2013

In the business world, strategic thinking/planning is having the ability to see an organization in light of the “bigger picture;” seeing an organization how it is now, and how it will be in four or ten years down the road. Strategic planning implements knowledge of the industry’s direction and how an organization’s future plans align with that direction. In the true business management sense, strategy is distinguished by several key elements: 1. It steers the direction of the company and affects the long-term health of the company. 2. It is usually measured in years; it is a long-term plan that will take years to meet goals. 3. Its impact is felt company wide. 4. It builds on and utilizes all of the available company resources. 5. Its implementation is meant to gain an advantage over competitors. 6. It typically means change for the company in many different areas. 7. Its success is a result of the efforts and hard work of many people within the company. (Moseley, 2009).
Planned Parenthood can date its beginning to 1916 when Margaret Sanger, her sister, and a friend opened America's first birth control clinic in Brooklyn, New York. (http://www.plannedparenthood.org). Although the state Montana elected a woman to the House of Representatives in 1916, many other states still did not recognize women as individuals with rights equal to their male counterparts. (http://www.nwhm.org). In 1916, women in the United States did not typically work outside their home, they did not have the right to vote in most states, and they did not have access to health care or the birth control options that twenty-first century women have. Margaret Sanger saw a need for the women of her era to have access to health care information regarding birth control advise. She implemented a strategic plan to give birth control guidance to women. She was arrested, along with her sister and friend, and convicted for disseminating birth control information based on measures established in 1870 called the Comstock laws. In 1923, Margaret Sanger opened the Birth Control Clinical Research Bureau in Manhattan to provide contraceptive devices to women and collect accurate statistics to prove their safety and long-term effectiveness. (http://www.plannedparenthood.org). This was the beginning of Planned Parenthood’s strategic course in becoming what is today, a reliable resource for women wanting information regarding contraception, unwanted pregnancies, health care education, and disease prevention.
Planned Parenthood believes in the fundamental right of each individual, throughout the world, to manage his or her fertility, regardless of the individual's income, marital status, race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, national origin, or residence. They believe that respect and value for diversity in all aspects of the organization are essential to society’s well being. They believe that reproductive self-determination must be voluntary and preserve the individual's right to privacy. They further believe that such self-determination will contribute to an enhancement of the quality of life and strong family relationships. Based on these beliefs, and reflecting the diverse communities within which they operate, the mission of Planned Parenthood is to provide comprehensive reproductive and complementary health care services in settings which preserve and protect the essential privacy and rights of each individual; to advocate for public policies which guarantee these rights and ensure access to such services; to provide educational programs which enhance understanding of individual and societal implications of human sexuality; and to promote research and the advancement of technology in reproductive health care and encourage understanding of their inherent bioethical, behavioral, and social implications. (http://www.plannedparenthood.org). Planned Parenthood has been successful in implementing its mission throughout the years. Planned Parenthood operates more than 750 health centers in communities nationwide. Their website states that these health centers provide a wide range of safe, reliable health care. Ninety percent of health care services provided at Planned Parenthood are preventive, primary care, which helps prevent unintended pregnancies through contraception, reduce the spread of sexually transmitted infections through testing and treatment, and screen for cervical and other cancers.
Not-for-profit agencies operate a variety of ambulatory health care services throughout the United States. Services have evolved to meet the needs of population groups afflicted by special diseases or conditions. Planned Parenthood is a not-for-profit health care organization. Many of not-for-profit organizations are charted by states as charitable organizations and maintain tax-exempt status with the Internal Revenue Service. This allows them to collect charitable contributions for which their donors may receive tax deductions. Voluntary ambulatory health care agencies were established by special interest groups that wanted to address the health care needs of a population group whose needs were not being met by existing community services (think back to Margaret Sanger). Planned Parenthood is an example of an independent affiliated agency of a national organization. (Sultz & Young, 2009). In a January 11, 2013 statement made by Eric Ferrero, the Vice President of Communications for Planned Parenthood Federation of America, Planned Parenthood is backed by seven million supporters. These supporters range from every day Americans and businesses owners, to the U.S. Federal government. Planned Parenthood came under attack in the winter of 2012 when the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation announced new rules that would exclude Planned Parenthood from receiving grants for their breast health programs. Thousands of people across America expressed their support for Planned Parenthood. Planned Parenthood received an outpouring of financial support. Days after making the rules that excluded grants to Planned Parenthood, the Susan G. Komen for the Cure Foundation bowed to the negative pressure they were receiving and reversed its decision. Now both organizations are working together to reach their goals of improving breast health. (http://www.plannedparenthood.org).
According to the 2011 – 2012 Annual Report, Planned Parenthood received 26% of its funding from non-government health services, 26% was generated from private contributions and bequests, 3% from “other,” and 45% of its revenue came from Government Health Services Grants and Reimbursements. 67% of their expenses were Medical, 15% were Non-medical Domestic Program Services, 12% went to Management and General Support, 5% for Fundraising and 1% for International Family Planning. A breakdown of the medical services provided shows that 41% of the services provided were for testing and treatment of sexually transmitted infections and diseases for men an women, 32% were for contraception including emergency contraception and sterilizations for men and women. 12% of the services provided were for cancer screening and prevention including Pap tests, mammograms and HPV vaccines. 11% were for other women’s health services including pregnancy tests and prenatal care, and 3% of the services provided were abortions. Planned Parenthood provides many screening and preventative health care services at little or no cost to individuals. They do accept many insurance plans including Medicaid fee for service. Planned Parenthood does charge for services related to termination of a pregnancy and some birth control products. Many “Pro Life” activists claim that Planned Parenthood in only in business to make money, and at anywhere from $350 to $900 for an abortion, it is no wonder they do not want to see an end to the legalization of such procedures. Planned Parenthood seems to have ended the year strong with a net gain of roughly eighty-five thousand dollars from the beginning of the year. Planned Parenthood’s fees are not itemized on the website, they are listed in ranges of price for a selected amount of services and vary by region. Each Planned Parenthood clinic is a small business unit within the National Organization, and each is responsible for operating within its targeted revenue and budgeted expenses. Although they share a common mission and/or vision as part of something larger, how each SBU maintains that vision is up to the local leadership.
Overall, Planned Parenthood’s future looks steady. They have recently launched Planned Parenthood Global, a new phase of its international programs. For 40 years, Planned Parenthood Federation of America has worked with partner organizations in developing countries, providing financial and technical support for women’s health care delivery and advocacy. Changing the name of Planned Parenthood Federation of America’s international division to Planned Parenthood Global signifies a new era for the program, concentrating on targeted partnerships and the development of pioneering models that can be replicated and scaled up by others. Worldwide, limited access to health care, lack of political will, legal and regulatory restrictions, cultural taboos, and harsh gender inequality all put women at risk of unintended pregnancy, unsafe abortion and childbirth, and sexually transmitted infections. (http://www.plannedparenthood.org). Planned Parenthood is dedicated to overcoming the same barriers worldwide that existed in the United States less than sixty years ago. Their aim is to provide access to reproductive health services and exercising reproductive rights by empowering this generation and the next, worldwide. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America International Program addresses these challenges through innovative projects in 17 countries in Africa, Asia, and Latin America.
Many people are willing to overlook the seemingly good work Planned Parenthood accomplishes for women’s health and reproductive services/education because they unapologetically perform abortions. Many people are also concerned that their tax dollars are being used by the Federal government or through the implementation of the Affordable Care Act to promote lifestyle choices that they disagree with. However, Planned Parenthood seems to be continuing the strategic plan that Margaret Sanger set out to accomplish in 1916. She wanted to provide women with information and access to health care services related to their sexual and reproductive health that was not available to them. She wanted to see women empowered by the choices they could make regarding their bodies and the decision to protect life. The majority of services provided today, in America and internationally, are for women to be tested and treated for infections and diseases, provide necessary screening tools for cancer, and provide access to pregnancy related health care services.

Reference:

Krentz, S. E., DeBoer, A. M., & Preble, S. N. (2006). Staying on course with strategic metrics. Healthcare Financial Management, 60(5), 86-93.

Moseley, G. (2009). Managing Health Care Business Strategy. Sudbury: Jones and Bartlett Publishers.

National History Women’s Museum. National Suffrage Timeline. http://www.nwhm.org/education-resources/history/woman-suffrage-timeline retrieved on January 12. 2013.

Planned Parenthood. Act. No Matter What. http://www.plannedparenthood.org/about-us/who-we-are-4648.htm retrieved on January 13, 2013.

Sultz, H. and Young, K. (2009) Health Care USA - Understanding Its Organization and Delivery. Sudbury, MA: Jones and Bartlett.