Strategic Plan 2010-2014

The Rural Health Education Foundation adopted the following Strategic Plan on 22 October 2010 to guide its activities during the four year period of 2010 to 2014.

Vision and Mission

Our Vision: Better health for people in remote and rural Australia

Our Mission: To provide quality, accessible health education to remote and rural health teams.

Outcomes

A. Education:  Create effective educational products and distribute through relevant and accessible channels.

  1. An active, functional and effective Education Subcommittee to guide our educational activities.
  2. A process for determining and planning education activities and directions, and to focus on:
    1. Primary health care and community public health
    2. Indigenous health issues
    3. Inter-professional learning
    4. Content usefulness and sustainability
    5. Professional health and medical practitioners
  3. Processes that respond to health system and practice changes, adapt to community needs, provide a balance between proactive and reactive approaches and take advantage of key opportunities.
  4. Effective measures of assessing the use and impact of our educational activities.
  5. Enhanced approaches to the development and delivery of professional development education as well as emerging technologies, and develop more innovative and flexible approaches to delivery.
  6. The widest possible accessibility for our educational programs for target audiences.

B. Marketing and Communications: Consolidate, solidify and grow reputation and increase profile with all stakeholders.

  1. An active, functional and effective Marketing and Communications Subcommittee to guide our activities in brand identity, messaging and stakeholder engagement.

  2. High visibility for the Foundation and its products and activities with all stakeholders through development of:
    • a communications/public relations plan
    • a stakeholder management plan
    • a Patron engagement plan
    • communications tools for use with prospective and current stakeholders
    • user testimonials and case studies for utilisation in promotions
    • a robust and up to date database  
    • appropriate engagement with rural and other media.

  3. High level of advocacy from users and partners, through:
    • increasing frequency of viewing and purchasing of products
    • developing a robust segmentation and communications strategy 
    • developing processes and tools that help build our partners/advocates profiles.

  4. Review the clarity of our brand identity and messaging.

C. Finance:  Secure a steady stream of income to achieve expansion, diversification and longevity of the Foundation’s funding base to enable sustainability.

  1. Continued financial support from traditional funders.

  2. Income secured from corporate, philanthropic and discretionary funding sources.

  3. Income streams which enhance and expand the Foundation’s activities, including exploration of other sources of funding such as program sales, licensing fees, sponsorship, advertising and payments by users of our services.

  4. Cost effective delivery of programs.

  5. Achievement of educational, social and community objectives for funds expended and with value for money.

Measures

Measurement area: Access provided/reach into remote and rural communities

Quantified objective:
More than 90% of all health education providers.
Importance:
Provide educational opportunity to as many of the health team as possible. Maintain leader status in distance professional education.

Measurement area: Relevance and engagement

Quantified objective:
Participation: More than 50% of the target audience
Importance:
Participation of the greatest number at the greatest frequency that can be achieved is a strong indicator of the quality, relevance and usefulness of programs.

Measurement area: Efficacy in changing practical behaviour

Quantified objective:
Change in behaviour: 90% said the program impacted on their practice or caused them to reflect upon their practice.
Importance:
The style and format of the education needs to be understandable, practical and able to be implemented.

Measurement area: Funding level and mix

Quantified objective:
$5 million/year by 2014/15, with a maximum of one-third from any one organisation or source.
Importance:
Having a stable stream of income allows the Foundation to invest and plan for the future with a greater degree of certainty – it allows the Foundation to act as a leader.

Key Implementation Initiatives

The Foundation has identified five key implementation initiatives to support this Strategic Plan which warrant particular focus to drive the Foundation towards its vision.

1. Develop and implement an active program to raise funds from corporate (private sector) organisations and from sources of untied funds.

2. Utilise the Patron effectively to advance the Foundation’s mission and goals.

3. Develop and implement robust measurement systems to measure our success and support each strategic pillar.

4. Create and embed an environmental intelligence approach to planning and operations.

5. Ensure an effective satellite transmission platform.