The GAP analysis stands for ‘good, average, and poor’ and is a strategic tool to compare the current state of an organization’s performance with its desired future state. It seeks to identify gaps in existing processes, performance levels or resources, and organizational goals. The primary focus of a GAP analysis is to reveal operational deficiencies, patient care challenges, and/or resource allocation effectiveness. The SWOT analysis examines strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The SWOT analysis is a strategic planning tool which serves to provide better insight into an organization’s competitive standing while identifying areas for improvement. It provides a comprehensive view of an organization’s internal capabilities and external market conditions to enable strategic decision-making. The differences between the GAP and SWOT analysis are the GAP focuses on the difference between the current and desired future state of an organization and is more operational and specific. The SWOT evaluates the overall strategic position of an organization and is broader and more strategic. GAP and SWOT analyses may be used complementary to one another by preparing a more comprehensive view of an organizations operational and strategic status. SWPT offers the ‘macro’ details while GAP examines the ‘micro’ attributes. When used together, these two tools can provide a robust framework for healthcare organizations to enhance strategic planning and operational efficiency. I have personally use SWOT analysis at my current job and it was a great tool for me as it led me personally to make important decisions regarding my future goals, and it was something which helped me in starting my MBA program. I feel there is a lot of value in regularly assessing where you are good and where you can improve. Taking this class has opened my eyes to the vast number of analytical tools/tests there are, so narrowing them down is essential to allocating the appropriate resources. I look forward to using the GAP analysis to see how it will complement the SWOT.
