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Preparing for move-in he definition of Facility Activation Planning for healthcare all depends on who you talk to. There are as many different definitions as there are people to ask. Activation planning may refer to operational readiness, facility activation, move management or any combination of the above. Over the past 10 years, hospital activation planning has evolved from providing basic move management services to incorporating the knowledge and insight of clinical leaders and staff throughout the process. Since clinical operations will change from current to future state in the new built environment, there is significant opportunity to improve efficiencies. Healthcare organizations should understand that when creating a new hospital, campus addition/renovation or replacement facility, it is imperative for activation planning to be a collaborative team effort with early and continuous clinical involvement. Whether renovating or building new, it is an exciting experience for a healthcare organization and the community it serves. Clinicians engaged in the activation planning of a capital project will say patient safety is the first and foremost concern. Second to safety, a clinician wants to understand how to deliver superior patient care during the actual move, as well as in a new facility. Being dependent on operational security and routine, changes to a clinician's daily operations or schedule can be fearful and met with great resistance. Therefore, it is critical to facilitate clinical ownership and teamwork early in the project as staff will be taken out of comfort zones, asked to learn multiple new systems, learn new floor plans and establish new routines. Best practices for clinically activating a new facility By Ellyn Roberts and Rick Hood T Identify clinical champions To facilitate clinical ownership that will support the rapidly changing environment and maintain open lines of communication during activation planning, identifying a strong clinical champion is essential. In this role, the clinical champion serves as the liaison between facilities, construction, leadership and the bedside caregivers. The individual who serves in this role should be a strong leader that understands the 24 Medical Construction & Design | January/February 2013 entire organizational culture and is an expert in navigating through change management. The clinical champion serves as the conduit of communication throughout the duration of construction and the activation planning process. One of the clinical champion's main responsibilities will be to work with the greater activation team to facilitate the development of a comprehensive operational readiness plan. The activation team typically consists of administration, physicians, clinicians and support services such as pharmacy, infection control and engineering. A comprehensive operational readiness plan accounts for: > Changes in all departmental workflows from current state to future state > Changes in technological systems and equipment and outlining how these changes will impact staff and patient workflow > Changes in departmental staffing requirements > Facility-wide and unit-specific orientation, education and training > Life safety training > Updated unit and facility policies and procedures www.mcdmag.com