Award-Winning University Healthcare Network Mitigates Overwhelming Project Demands Through Purposeful Planning

Background

With a rich history dating back to 1890, this Midwest University, nestled in a prime location within the bustling metropolis, continues to be a beacon of education. The college also features an impressive medical school and a comprehensive University healthcare system. This system encompasses the University hospital, a children’s hospital, cancer and brain research centers, physician practices, and numerous outpatient centers throughout the region. Operating for nearly 100 years, this award-winning healthcare system takes pride in its exceptional patient care, educational programs, and pioneering research. Its facilities are crucial in consistently achieving excellence and delivering optimal outcomes.

The Hospital Network’s Executive Director of Operations, Facilities Planning, Design and Construction, plays a pivotal role in managing all facilities operations, covering more than 6.5 million square feet. This includes maintenance, infrastructure, utilities, and deferred maintenance. Recently, he was also entrusted with the responsibility for design and new construction, showcasing his strategic leadership in the healthcare industry.

The Challenge

For our client, consistently delivering optimal facilities throughout the network was no small feat. Maintaining a University healthcare system of this magnitude and importance is a herculean task. Despite the University’s substantial endowment, our client had to work within a very limited budget allocated to the hospital network. With some buildings over 100 years old and having to endure a harsh Midwest climate, there was a constant struggle to allocate enough money or resources for all the necessary maintenance. The outcome: a growing log of deferred maintenance.

Adding to the complexity, our client recently hired a consultant to conduct a Facility Condition Assessment (FCA) to identify, prioritize, and quantify facility deficiencies in preparation for a Joint Commission review. The assessment revealed over 4,000 items requiring attention, totaling nearly $1 billion in repairs.

Our client was overwhelmed by a growing project list, a limited budget, and an impending Joint Commission review. They needed assistance in prioritizing their work and sought a more strategic and transparent approach to prioritizing and funding projects.

The Solution

Although there was a mounting list of pressing issues, our client needed a solution that not only resolved their immediate needs but also would continue to work in the future. The healthcare system needed a solution that allowed for adjustments as strategies and priorities evolved. It also needed to be flexible enough to incorporate emerging projects throughout the year.

Allovance, along with a Certified Allovance Decision Coach, proved to be the ideal choice. It provided the structure and rigor that the healthcare network needed today and the flexibility that it needed for the future. Our five-step process and proprietary software enabled the network to develop a short-term plan for prioritizing, selecting, and approving projects and a five-year strategic plan aligned with the hospital network’s strategy.

Additionally, due to the dynamic nature of Allovance, the client had peace of mind knowing that if the strategy changed, they could easily update the plan in the software to reprioritize projects. Furthermore, the client could proceed confidently, knowing there was flexibility to adjust for new projects that emerged during the year. All projects are scored independently and compared to one another, allowing for the replacement of existing projects if necessary.

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