ICO/IFOS Strategic Planning:

Draft ICO/IFOS Strategic Plan 2007 - 2012, Part 1: Broad Future Directions

Introduction

This Strategic Plan defines broad future directions for the International Council of Ophthalmology/ International Federation of Ophthalmological Societies (ICO/IFOS) as well as six goals and more specific strategies and long range objectives related to each goal.

The Plan is intended to be a blueprint for ICO/IFOS’s next five years.

This is Part 1 of the Strategic Plan, which describes broad future directions for ICO/IFOS. It contains:

• a mission statement
• vision for international ophthalmology
• vision for the ICO/IFOS
• primary strategic directions
• six major goals.

Part 2 of the Plan outlines the current and proposed future programs, initiatives and long range objectives that would fall under each of the six goals.

Part 3 lists primary strategies and long range objectives defined for each of the six goals, along with other strategies and ideas suggested at the planning sessions.

Part 4 contains action plans that have been defined for achieving the long range objectives.

Attachment A reports on the analysis of the environment that provided perspective for definition of the Strategic Plan. It covers external trends that will affect international ophthalmology and the ICO/IFOS in the next five to 10 years; the needs of the public, of ophthalmologists and of ophthalmologic societies; and the strengths and weaknesses of international ophthalmology and ICO/IFOS.

Attachment B lists the participants in the planning sessions, summarizes the strategic planning process and reports on plans for follow-up to complete and implement the Strategic Plan.

This Plan was defined mainly at two planning sessions, the first held July 4 - 5, 2006 in Zurich, Switzerland, and the second on November 11, 2006 in Las Vegas, Nevada, USA.

The discussions at the first planning session were stimulated and supported by the responses to questions posed to members of the Council, its Advisory Committee, members of IFOS and other leaders in ophthalmology around the world. The questions were sent in a series of e-mailings, with answers posted in the ICO/IFOS “Forum on the Future” (www.icoph.org/plan). There were more than 150 comments and suggestions in the Forum, all included in the agenda book for participants in the first planning session.

After the Zurich meeting, a first partial draft of a Strategic Plan was circulated for comment to the Council, Advisory Committee and IFOS members. Based on the responses, the draft Plan was revised and several issues were identified for further discussion. The Council and Advisory Committee were asked for their opinions on those issues in a series of mailings, leading to a further revision of the Plan in November, prior to the follow-up planning session in Las Vegas.

This draft incorporates discussions from that planning session. (See Attachment B for more details on the process and plans for follow-up.)

Mission

(The mission defines the primary results or outcomes that ICO/IFOS exists to achieve.)

Vision for International Ophthalmology, 2017

(This vision describes international ophthalmology as it will be 10 years from now if the ICO/IFOS is successful. Part of the focus of the ICO/IFOS Strategic Plan is to make this vision a reality.)

Vision for the ICO/IFOS, 2012

(This describes the organization as it will be in five years, when the Strategic Plan has been implemented.)

Primary Strategic Directions

 In order to fulfill its mission and realize its vision for the future, ICO/IFOS will:

• Focus on ophthalmic education, particularly (but not exclusively) training of ophthalmologists, subspecialists, medical students and allied personnel to serve in developing countries and underserved areas
  
  
• Develop consensus on essential, appropriate standards for residency training in ophthalmology and help residency program directors enhance training
  
  
• Work with national ophthalmologic societies and others to establish sustainable eye centers to provide care and training in areas of need
  
  
• Define evidence-based clinical guidelines and standards related to vision and eye care and provide other resources to help ophthalmologists meet the needs of their communities
  
  
• Become an effective advocate for ophthalmology, eye care and preservation of vision and promote operational and clinical research
  
  
• Develop stronger relationships with WHO, VISION 2020, non-governmental development organizations (NGOs), governments and other groups involved with eye care and vision
  
  
• Assess what ophthalmologic societies want and need and provide courses, information and assistance to help them develop and become increasingly more effective
  
  
• Continue to focus on countries with minimal ophthalmic presence and help ophthalmologists in those countries form societies or affiliate with existing societies
  
  
• Assume responsibility for management of the World Ophthalmology Congress
  
  
• Co-sponsor congresses and courses with member societies and collaborate with them to offer programs, products and services for individual ophthalmologists
  
  
• Obtain the financial resources needed to implement this Plan and strengthen the organization by working closely with the ICOFoundation, building closer appropriate relationships with industry and developing other sources of income
  
  
• Establish a program to develop leaders for both the ICO and other societies, get more ophthalmologists involved and hire professional staff to support the volunteer leadership

Goals

(Goals define the major areas of activity of the organization and what each is intended to accomplish. They provide a framework for organizing the rest of the Strategic Plan and for the work to be done to implement it.)

Next: Part 2: Programs and Initiatives for Each Goal