PLANNING AND OPENING A WOMENS HOSPITAL

Occupying any new facility takes many years of planning from the initi al vision through the actual provision of patient care services. Hospi tals present complex logistical and safety problems. The length of tim e planning depends on the complexities of the facility, the specifics of care provided, and changes necessitated by design of the new facili ty. In planning a women's hospital, basic principles for planning a ch ange were implemented: identify the need, develop a vision, coordinate a strategic plan, enlist key players, develop the program, implement, and evaluate. The successful occupancy of the Mary Birch Hospital for Women, a 169-bed freestanding hospital, was accomplished through team work and a well-developed and orchestrated occupancy plan.