Creating the Future

I want to thank everyone for their enthusiastic response to the DFM strategic planning process. A four-hour meeting of the strategic planning group was held after the DFM Statewide Meeting which went very well, and the process is alive and well and active again after the holidays.

Dr. Aaron Buchko was again in Madison on Friday, January 21 to meet with the Department Leadership Team to review the excellent efforts so far, and to launch the next phase of the process. Aaron was back again on Friday, January 28 to meet with the Strategic Planning Group to review the work so far and to begin moving toward developing action items. My intent at this point is to try and bring three processes into parallel tracks in the next several months. Aaron is scheduled to be in Madison twice more in February and again in March to finish up the process. The strategic planning process should be completed by the middle of March.

The budget process will start in earnest at the beginning of March. Our first deadline for budget will be to develop a UW Medical Foundation plan by April 15th. A timeline will be distributed prior to the first of March to let everyone know the process. In addition, there are a number of program and staff proposals that have been submitted or will be soon. So, my hope is that we can bring the three tracks of budget, strategic planning, and program proposals together to have a comprehensive process of evaluating how the DFM strategically decides how to use its precious resources of time, money, and facilities.

Thank you to all for your enthusiasm and support of the process, and I look forward to the upcoming year as we begin to create the future of the DFM.