Transition to Operations: Why the Most Successful Healthcare Projects Start Long Before Opening Day
When a new healthcare facility opens, it's often viewed as the finish line of a long planning, design, and construction journey. In reality, opening day is just the beginning.
In a recent conversation, Pete Martin, Vice President of Business Development, sat down with Stephen Van Ness, Senior Vice President of Planning, Design & Construction, and Patrick Murphy, Regional President – East, to discuss one of the most overlooked—but most critical—phases of any capital project: the transition to operations.
Their message was clear: successful healthcare projects aren't measured by when construction ends. They're measured by how effectively the building performs on day one and for years to come.
Transition to Operations Isn't an Afterthought
Too often, transition planning begins only months before occupancy. By then, many critical decisions have already been made, leaving hospitals to solve operational challenges that could have been avoided.
The most successful organizations begin planning for operations during the earliest phases of design.
When operations, facilities, clinical leadership, and project teams collaborate from the start, healthcare organizations can:
- Reduce costly delays after occupancy
- Improve staff readiness and training
- Ensure equipment and systems function as intended
- Minimize disruption to patient care
- Protect their capital investment
A building can be beautifully designed, but if the people, processes, and systems aren't prepared, the project hasn't truly succeeded.
The Growing Complexity of Healthcare Facilities
Healthcare facilities today are more technologically advanced than ever before.
From sophisticated building automation systems and connected medical equipment to regulatory requirements and cybersecurity considerations, today's hospitals require careful coordination across multiple disciplines.
That complexity means organizations need more than project management—they need strategic operational planning that considers how every system will support caregivers, patients, and facility teams long after construction is complete.
Bridging the Gap Between Construction and Operations
One of the biggest risks during any capital project is the disconnect between the construction team and the people who will ultimately operate the facility.
Facilities management, environmental services, biomedical engineering, infection prevention, IT, supply chain, and clinical leadership all play critical roles in a successful activation.
When these stakeholders are engaged early:
- Operational workflows are validated before occupancy.
- Equipment commissioning is better coordinated.
- Staff training happens proactively instead of reactively.
- Potential issues are identified before patients enter the building.
The result is a smoother transition with fewer surprises and significantly less operational disruption.
Preparing for Tomorrow's Workforce
Healthcare facilities are also facing another major challenge: an aging workforce and increasing difficulty recruiting experienced facilities professionals.
As veteran employees retire, organizations risk losing decades of institutional knowledge.
Transition planning provides an opportunity to document processes, standardize operations, improve training, and create systems that support the next generation of healthcare facility leaders. Investing in people is just as important as investing in buildings.
A Different Way to Think About Capital Projects
At Cref, we believe planning, design, construction, and operations should never exist in silos.
Every capital project should be viewed through an operational lens from the very beginning. By integrating operational readiness into every phase of a project, healthcare organizations can reduce risk, improve efficiency, and create environments that better support caregivers and patients alike.
The transition to operations isn't simply the last phase of a project—it's the strategy that connects vision to long-term success.
Looking Ahead
Healthcare organizations continue to face growing operational complexity, evolving regulations, workforce challenges, and increasing pressure to maximize every capital investment. Success depends not only on delivering projects on time and on budget, but on ensuring those projects are fully prepared to support patient care from day one.
With thoughtful planning, early collaboration, and a focus on operational readiness, healthcare leaders can create facilities that perform as well as they were designed to.
At Cref, that's what we call building a Constant State of Readiness.
Watch the full conversation featuring Pete Martin, Vice President of Business Development, Stephen Van Ness, Senior Vice President of Planning, Design & Construction, and Patrick Murphy, Regional President – East: