Hospice Care Association: Turnaround of a Healthcare Non-profit Organization

A Singapore-based non-profit organisation is in need of a strategic turnaround. The Hospice Care Association (HCA) finds itself in a critical financial situation following funding changes from the Singapore government. Additionally, staff response to changes in operations has been severe and negative. As the newly appointed medical director of HCA, Dr. Akhileswaran is initially overwhelmed with the task that lay ahead. The organisation is in urgent need of leadership, and without such, it is very likely that HCA cannot sustain its mission. Closing HCA would result in patients not being treated in their final year of life, an unacceptable situation for Dr. Akhileswaran.

The case emphasises the importance of strategy and operational focus. The non-profit nature of the organisation allows students to think more broadly about strategy and its primary role in organisational activity. The goal of the activity in the case is to turn the organisation around and prevent its demise. As such, the case can be used more specifically in courses on turnaround strategies, non- profit strategic thinking and analysis or organisational leadership and change management.

Inspection copies and teaching notes are available for university faculty. To receive an inspection copy and teaching note, please email cmpshop [at] smu.edu.sg with your registered faculty email ID and a link to your contact information on the faculty directory at your university as verification. An inspection copy and teaching note will then be sent to your faculty email account.

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· The Case (SMU-11-0003)

· Teaching Note (SMU-11-0003TN)