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Universally-sized and shaped rooms allow for better staff movement when caring for patients. However, in late 2008, the financial market crashed and the sale of bonds at that time was not prudent. In early 2009, Woman's Hospital and the construction team began to suspend construction — at that time no one knew how long the suspension would last. The project teams immediately began evaluating options for "rescaling" the project to reduce the cost without severely impacting the ultimate outcome. All parties understood that, because of the economic environment, if they did not work together to make the project viable, there would be no project. Between January of 2009 and February of 2010, the design, construction and hospital teams successfully rescaled the project to remove approximately $35 million in total costs. In order to accomplish this new budget and new timeline, the project team adopted a new approach. Ignoring the standard contractual relationship, each team member worked to manage the team's collective risk of the project. The project team held weekly meetings and collaborated closely on rescale efforts, even working on pricing in real time. The subcontractors, selected for design-assist roles in preconstruction, stayed committed to the project. Additionally, the entire community focused on helping Woman's Hospital achieve its vision. The city of Baton Rouge helped to enable infrastructure resources, such as regional sewerage pump stations and strategic road extensions for better access to the facility. Full-steam ahead With the community behind them and using a collaborative approach, the project team actively managed consistent alignment between the design and budget. The team's open and collaborative communication also resulted in solutions to problems that would not adversely affect the project budget or schedule. Woman's Hospital houses 13 operating rooms. 32 Medical Construction & Design | January/February 2013 www.mcdmag.com