Case memo

Read the case called “A Cry for Help”. You will then analyze the case and recommend a particular course of action specific to the case. Your analysis will be in the form of a written recommendation memo to the hospital’s chief operating officer and is not to exceed two single-spaced pages. The memo must address:

The problem as you see it
A recommended solution or solutions
Support for your perspective
Use your knowledge of the material covered in the course thus far to create an original analysis and recommendation. Many cases have multiple issues, so select one you feel is the most pressing problem. Assume your reader (your hypothetical manager) will use your memo as a decision support tool when making difficult decisions. State the key problems presented in the case and briefly explain the context in which the decisions must be made. Describe your proposed solutions to the problem, and indicate which one you believe is the best course of action. Support your recommendation with specific reasons. Identify the next steps if your proposed solution is adopted, and outline a Plan B in case your proposed solution fails. Show how secondary evidence informed your understanding of the case and your recommendations.

Use this structure:

Open with a one-paragraph summary labeled Executive Summary. What is the context, key issue, and your recommendation?
Background. Why are we facing these issues? Identify the root causes.
What are your specific Recommendations? Include your rationale and alternatives.
Next Steps. How should your recommendations be implemented? What are the priorities, timeline, and required resources?
You have only two pages to get your message across. Use a simple and direct style, putting your recommendation in the first paragraph as a way to create a “hook” encouraging your manager to continue reading. Use one-inch margins and Times New Roman 12-point font. If you use outside research to support any of your recommendations, list references on a concluding page, separate from the two-page memo.