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BY TIM SHAEFER There are many moving parts to activating new facilities. While building preparation is paramount, consideration must also be given to the function and fl ow of the new space. In addition, plans will be signifi cantly altered depend- ing on whether services and employees are relocating to the new space or if the facility will require all new users, furniture, fi xtures and equipment. Similar to transitioning a large hospital, activating a neighborhood ambulatory care center will involve three major components. Focusing on operational readiness, facility readiness and move logistics will minimize disruptions and ensure a successful opening. Operational readiness Operational readiness involves preparing all administrative and clinical processes and functions performed on a day-to-day basis. This compo- nent focuses on policies and procedures, staf orientation and training, new systems and equipment, life safety, patient communication, public rela- tions, branding and advertising. The orientation and training plan ensures staf is completely prepared to care for patients upon opening day. Suf cient time must be spent in the new facility to orient the team as to the new layout and workfl ow. Practice sessions should be conducted utilizing all technol- ogy and equipment. And, most importantly, all new policies and procedures must be re- viewed and communicated. Having been involved in the design and layout for the new space, the team responsible for orientation and training must remember the original vision. Was the facility designed to incorporate a new paradigm of practice? Are new services being introduced to the public? Is existing staf relocating or will a new team be hired? These factors will infl uence the means and methods of training. The human resources department will play a signifi cant role in the activation process to ensure adherence to schedule. If a large number of new hires will be joining the team, ample time must be factored in. Training new employees will take more time than relocating existing team members. Facility readiness This component should be managed and coordinated with the general contractor for the physical facility prepared- ness. Any third-party building owners and operators should be included in the process and aware of the occupancy schedule. Unlike most hospital moves, some ambulatory care centers may not be owned by the organization that will be using the facility. This is important to consider in the activation planning as it is vital to have building owners/ landlords, third-party main- tenance staf and any other non-organization parties well informed. Another responsibil- ity is to guarantee all licensing and certifi cations are in place before opening day. This is necessary for any modality with licensing/certifi cation requirements, e.g., pharmacy, imaging, Medicare and third- party payers. Move logistics A major emphasis of hospital transition planning is placed on the patient move and the continuum of care necessary to transfer patients. This is not required for a neighborhood ambulatory care center as care is delivered on an outpatient basis. However, this compo- nent must still be strategically planned and executed in regard to the coordination of furnish- ing and equipment deliveries, installation and preparation for "going live." Coordination with the third-party building owner is critical to planning the move logistics. Whether the build- ing is solely occupied by the ambulatory care facility, or if shared among other tenants, will have a major impact on activation activities. The land- lord/ building owner may have ISSUE FOCUS Support Facilities Components for successful activation of neighborhood ambulatory care centers PROVIDING SOLID FOUNDATIONS 36 Medical Construction & Design | M A RCH /A PR IL 2015 | MCDM AG.COM