“Health services planning” is a term that is being used with increasing frequency today, reflecting the growing interest in the topic. A review of the planning literature reveals a variety of definitions in use, and there is little consensus among experts as to the definition of health planning. As a result, the concept is continuously being redefined as planning tries to “find itself” in the new millennium. Health services planning has not been employed as extensively in the United States as it has in other developed countries, so it is appropriate to start from the beginning and present the basics of health planning. This chapter defines the key concepts within the field, beginning with “planning” and “health planning, in the process of clarifying what a “plan” is and is not. Given the unique nature of the US healthcare system, the author explains what makes health services planning different from other types of planning. The interface between planning and politics and the role it plays in the distorted notion of planning in the US society are explored. The growing importance of health planning is addressed, and the persistent resistance to planning in the United States is discussed. The urgent need for planning in the current environment is highlighted.
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