When it is time to move your medical offices, there are a lot of people and logistics to consider. Moving a larger facility such as a hospital can be even more complicated. When you know how to relocate a hospital, clinic, or medical facility, though, the transition can be relatively smooth and safe for everyone involved.
Plan All the Details
Moving a medical facility involves not only furniture, equipment, and records, but also people. Hospitals, especially, need to consider the impact of the relocation on existing patients who have either been admitted or who are scheduled for surgery. Trying to schedule a good time to relocate a hospital, clinic, or medical facility can be challenging, since, unlike arranging for a regular office move, there is generally not an ideal period of downtime.
The moving plan will need to include all the details of relocating patients as well as the contents of the building. Address the logistics of moving out of your current building and into the new facility, including a timeline of important dates during the process. Consider any holidays or other events that might occur during this timeframe.
Start with the end date and work your way backwards to determine milestone dates. You will also need a contingency plan in case there are challenges along the way. An integral part of this strategic plan is communication before, during, and after the move, which will prove critical to all concerned.
Communicate Frequently
The move of a medical facility requires a seamless transition for all involved and that starts with communication. Identify all of the stakeholders who will be affected by the move, which will probably be everyone in the hospital. Think also, though, about vendors, patients’ families, contractors, and others who need to know about the upcoming move. Then develop a communication plan, complete with a realistic schedule, to keep those individuals and groups informed about what to expect and when.
The timing of your communications will need to ensure that the appropriate people know about the move in its various stages and will convey that information with clarity. When any business or organization experiences a physical move, there can be confusion about the dates for closing the current location and reopening in the new location. Reinforce the opening date clearly and often in your communications.
Make a detailed list of everyone who will need to be notified, including:
- Staff and medical providers, including referring physicians and hospitals
- Patients and their families
- Medicare, Medicaid, and third-party payers
- Electronic health record (EHR) vendors
- Medical and business suppliers
- Contractors, such as coding/billing services
- Appropriate financial institutions
- Relevant state licensing agencies
- National Plan and Provider Enumeration System (NPPES) National Provider Identifier (NPI)
Coordinate and Focus on Safety
When it was time for a hospital in Lake Forest, Illinois, to move into a new building, an Activation Leadership Team was formed to manage the process from start to finish. The team logged hundreds of thousands of hours, was involved in countless meetings, provided extensive training, and even conducted a Mock Move so they could make the transition to the new hospital seamless for patients and staff.
Their highly coordinated effort began with an analysis of their existing equipment and furniture so they could make a strategic decision about what would be moved, what would be added, and what would be replaced as they moved to their new facility. They then developed a plan for moving patient beds that involved timing each step of the process to ensure the safety and well-being of the patients as well as the medical team.
When you relocate a hospital, clinic, or medical facility, you often do not know the exact number of patients that will need to be transported. As the Lake Forest hospital acknowledged, at any moment a new patient could show up in the emergency room or a new patient could be born in the existing hospital. Planning has to involve all possible scenarios.
Secure Help for the Move
A plan to relocate a hospital, clinic, or medical facility involves much more than patients and staff. You have medical equipment, furniture, files, electronics, and many other items that will have to be carefully and efficiently moved to your new location. Protecting and moving equipment, especially, will have to be strategically coordinated to ensure your patients’ health and safety throughout the process. A professional mover knows how to help with your move so that your patients and staff experience a smooth and seamless transition to your new location.
Contact Fox Moving and Storage Atlanta to Move Your Medical Facility
At Fox Moving & Storage Atlanta, we have the expertise you need to help plan, coordinate, and safely execute your move to a new medical facility. We understand the challenges of transporting patients, equipment, furniture, files, and other items while also ensuring the health and well-being of all involved. Our professionals will work with you to ensure your move is smooth and stress-free. Give us a call today at 678-704-0444 to learn more about how to relocate a hospital, clinic, or medical facility safely and efficiently.