Activation and operational planning: ensuring a successful transition.

T his article addresses the management challenges inherent in bringing a replacement hospital facility online through a process that maintains the continuity of the organization’s business while maximizing the benefits of the new facility. Planning for the activation of a new facility incorporates the processes of identifying, defining, organizing, and facilitating all of the tasks that are required for the occupation of the new facility in a logical, timely, safe, and cost-effective manner. Successful project occupancies do not just happen; rather, they are the result of focused and systematic planning and implementation. Early attempts at new-facility activation focused on the logistics of installing new equipment and furniture, scheduling the building turnover sequence with the contractor, and ensuring that the patient move went well. In today’s competitive healthcare market, that limited focus is no longer adequate. To gain competitive advantage and fully realize the benefits of a new facility, its design for the future operating model (work and patient flows, use of technology, deployment of human resources, management practices, and performance targets) must be an integral focus of the activation planning process.