Before I continue with healthcare technology, let's take a minute to talk about the third sector, the charities, not for profits and non governmental organisations that have assumed such a large role in society over the past decades.
These organisations receive their money from a variety of sources, but all of these sources are facing tough choices--which they will naturally pass on to the third sector when they can. Smart government (definitely not smart governance) would be cutting funding to third sector organisations and letting them decide which of their constituencies must suffer, and there is some evidence that that is happening. Smart management in the third sector (not something the third sector is famous for, but one can hope) would be to get firm commitments for five years at whatever level they can and to publicly readjust their missions accordingly.
How can third sector organisations prepare for the future? They are subject to the vagaries of elected officials, capricious donors and other third sector organisations, not to mention transnational bodies. What would be a good list of practices to have on hand?
1. Have a 5-year business plan for normal operations
2. Have a contingency plan for times of stress that will insure completion of core mission for 1 year
3. Cultivate a group of contingency investors/donors/funders for times of emergency
4. Create contingency agreements with landlords, car companies, food suppliers, telecoms providers, etc.
5. Have something to barter with
Come on, folks--help me out here. Those five points look pretty thin.
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