Tutorial: implementing hoshin planning at the Vermont Academic Medical Center.

Hoshin planning is a systems approach to strategic planning. It is a step-by-step process for building consensus on the vital few strategic areas within which breakthroughs must occur if an organization is to meet and exceed the needs of its customers. The seven management and planning tools are the implements of the hoshin process. They provide the means for generating, deploying, and auditing the strategic work of the organization. This tutorial describes the use of hoshin planning and the seven management and planning tools to build a strategic plan for the Vermont Academic Medical Center, including lessons learned and plans for improvement.