Strategic Planning and result-based management: a study on the Brazilian Ministry of Health

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate to what extent the strategic planning of the Ministry of Health (MOH) is bonded to a results-based management strategy, focusing particularly on strategic choices that guide the organization, namely the pursued results. The first section explains the methodological assumptions used in the study, which is guided by three key aspects: 1) the legal powers of the Federal Government in health care; 2) concepts and definitions about Result-Based Management (RBM); and 3) the definition of outcome to the strategic plan. The second section briefly presents how the strategic planning of Ministry of Health is formalized through three strategic plans simultaneously (Plano Plurianual, Plano Nacional de Saúde and Plano Estratégico) to then assess whether this planning is adherent to the methodological assumptions presented in the first section. It concludes that the strategic planning for the health sector does not observe the division of powers defined by the Brazilian Constitution and legislation, establishing goals that considerably exceed the governance sphere of the Federal Government. This same design also elects as goals administrative measures of operational nature, which should not be presented in strategic plans.

Key words:
Result-Based Management; strategic planning; public management; Brazilian Health System