Viral Hepatitis Strategic Plan
The Strategic Planning Process
The development of the Viral Hepatitis Strategic Plan began on June 3 and 4, 2003, when the NYSDOH along with partners and stakeholders from across the state came together at the Viral Hepatitis Strategic Summit. The two-day meeting started with presentations by representatives from the CDC and the NYSDOH. Presentations included an over view of viral hepatitis on a national level, as well as New York State viral hepatitis initiatives. Following the presentations, the participants were divided into one of four focus areas: 1) Prevention, 2) Education, 3) Surveillance and Research, and 4) Medical and Case Management. The focus areas served as the central elements of the strategic plan.
Each focus area, under the direction of a facilitator, identified the public health issues within its assigned focus area. The issues were then prioritized based on importance, feasibility and overall impact. The three highest priority issues were each then developed into a long-term goal. Next, each focus area determined how they would meet that long-term goal by developing strategies. The group then identified the top three to five highest priority strategies based on importance, feasibility and overall impact. Finally, five-year action plans were developed for each strategy along with a list of stakeholders who would assist the NYSDOH in carrying out each action plan (Figure 1) . At the end of the two-day meeting, a representative from each focus area reported to all the participants the long-term goals, strategies and action plans for that particular focus area.
Figure 1 : Method used by each of the four focus areas for determining long-term goals, strategies, and five-year action plans with stakeholders, of the strategic plan.