strategic plan

THE SOMALIAN POPULATION IN SAINT CLOUD MINNESOTA 7

The Somalian Population in Saint Cloud Minnesota

Brittany Ranck

Rasmussen College

Author’s Note: This paper is being submitted on Wednesday, May 10, 2017 for Kim Sanders class, Healthcare Management Capstone.

The Somalian Population in Saint Cloud Minnesota

Saint Cloud is the largest town in Minnesota City with the highest population of which 10% consists of the Somali immigrants. A large number of the Somali makes them dominate the refugee camp in Minnesota developing difficulties in communication, especially among the healthcare centers. Due to the language barrier, the Somali patients and the health care providers cannot communicate effectively hence ineffective healthcare services. As a result, the healthcare providers find it necessary to develop methods of communication with their patients that will lead to a more effective healthcare service.

Key Objectives for the Plan

The plan to have better communication methods for more efficient healthcare is aimed at meeting three objectives. The first objective of the plan is to increase knowledge and awareness of health issues among the Somali refugees. Most of these people are illiterate and have little or even no knowledge on health matters that make them hesitate to seek assistance when faced with any health issues. The lack of knowledge makes them ignorant, and in many cases, they suffer from issues they are not even aware they exist in them. Increasing knowledge and awareness will increase their understanding of the various diseases they are likely to contact, their prevention, as well as methods of minimizing the effects on them in case they contract the disease.

The second objective that the plan aims at achieving is to influence the behavior as well as the attitude of the Somali refugees in Minnesota towards health issues. Being illiterate, the greatest population of the Somali in Saint Cloud has a great misconception about health care services are they tend to believe in traditional methods of treating diseases hence have no regard for the healthcare centers. Through the development of better communication methods, it is believed that the health practitioners will be able to inform them on the importance of the healthcare services and enhance their understanding of why the traditional treatment methods are outdated and no longer relevant.

Lastly, the plan is aimed at demonstrating healthy practices among the Somali population. Due to their poor living standards, they have been unable to practice healthy living which makes them vulnerable to different diseases and illnesses in the camp. It is believed that through a live demonstration of healthy practices by the health practitioners, the population will be enlightened on how to live a healthy life free from diseases and illnesses.

Strategy Formulation to Accomplish Objectives

Minnesota Healthcare Clinic was the origin of this strategic plan. The mission statement of the center is to commit themselves in excellent service provision so as to improve the health of the Somali immigrants. The center aimed at offering high standard, convenient, and cost-effective services in the community for the well-being of all refugees. The vision statement of the center is to transform the healthcare experience through their culture of offering quality services which will be recognized in entire Minnesota City.

The strategies formulated to meet the strategic plan of having better communication methods for more efficient healthcare are as follows. First, the healthcare center would use mass education to impact knowledge and awareness into the population. The practitioners will partner with the various educators understanding the Somali language to deliver health lessons to the refugees. This will ensure that they understand clearly all issues and can comfortably ask questions for clarification from the educators (Tait, 2015). The lessons will be through face to face oral communication to allow the educators get the reactions of the refugees on the lessons. Also, publication of health issues in the newspaper and broadcasting them in radios using local language will increase the awareness.

Interacting with the Somali refugees in daily activities will reduce the barrier between them and the healthcare providers. As a result, practitioners will have an opportunity to learn their culture and the various factors in the society that influence their behavior and attitude towards their services hence ability to influence them to have a different perspective on the issues (Boiko, 2011). Training local people to help in the demonstration of healthy practices to the population will have a great impact in influencing and changing their way life. They will easily appreciate and adopt the practices since they have assurance they are helpful to them.

Action Plan for the Strategic Plan

Action plan involves actual implementation of the strategies that were formulated to achieve the objectives of the plan. The Minnesota Healthcare Clinic strategies implementation will involve selection of a few personnel who appear to be a bit enlightened among the Somali population. These people will be trained on various health issues that they will deliver during the mass education lessons as well as healthy practices so as to prepare them for demonstrations in advance. The clinic management will also avail various health issue information to the media houses to have them published in newspapers as well as aired through the local radios.

The newspapers will be distributed to all people who can read among the Somali population. The practitioners will also make frequent visits to the refugees so as to interact and earn their trust which will make it possible to learn about them. Building trust with the community will enhance the understanding of the people and issues they are going through so as to include them in the final lessons to be presented to them. Finally, the trained local individuals will approach the population and inform them about the training as well as organize them into small manageable groups to easy dissemination of information. The mass education program will take place in an open field with each practitioner addressing a single group with the help of the trained local personnel. The young in the community will participate in the campaign by translating the information in the newspapers to the elderly so as to enhance understanding of the content of the newspapers distributed to them. There will be a question and answer session at the end to ensure that all people understand and that there are no unsolved issues.

References

Boiko, O. (2011). Communication in Healthcare Settings: Policy, Participation and New Technologies.

Tait, G. (2015). Making sense of mass education. Cambridge University Press.