There is an increasing need to train more primary care physicians. The
refore, it would be advantageous for academic general internal medicin
e (GIM) to develop strategies to meet these demands. Our GIM division
developed a strategic planning process with the participant groups bei
ng the division faculty, a pertinent literature review (the surrogate
expert), and selected medical administrators. The IDEALS systems desig
n provided the conceptual framework for the strategic planning process
. This process used the Delphi technique to develop the theoretically
ideal work system based on the division's vision for its future role,
and the Nominal Group Process Technique to create the recommended work
system, using the Delphi results. The strategic planning process was
economical and division faculty agreed that it was useful. (C) 1997 by
Excerpta Medica, Inc.