Business Planning for Public Health Programs: Need

Why Business Planning? What Is a Business Plan? The Idea Project Operations Need Partners Costs Revenue Marketing Sustainability Sustainability in Public Health Business Plan Summary Check Your Understanding Next Steps Module Summary Final Assessment

Need

2. Is there a need? (Who wants this thing?)

You are the health assessment people: make sure that your effort goes towards the highest priority areas. Resources are scarce; don't waste time on projects that aren't important. As part of finding out whether there is a need for your idea, ask yourself:

Why is this service or product needed?
Is the service or product provided elsewhere?

In the Dare County example, the mobile dental van met a critical need. Dare County had a severe shortage of dentists and the neighboring county, Hyde County, didn't have any dentists. No dentist in Dare County accepted Medicaid patients. This lack of service provided a niche market for the mobile van's services: schoolchildren, especially those in underserved areas.