For most senior living owners, operators, and developers, the completion of a new construction or renovation project is an exciting time. It can also be a nerve-racking one. Oftentimes the satisfaction that comes from completing a project is replaced by nagging questions: Now what? What did we miss? Who is supposed to do this? Or that?
The fact of the matter is, many senior living organizations that undertake construction projects have never actually opened a facility. Most of our clients are in the business of providing housing, care, and services and have little or no experience in closing out a construction project and moving residents or patients into a facility.
An invaluable tool used to assist owners, operators, and developers in opening their facility is the T-minus schedule. A T-minus or countdown schedule is a list of every task required in order to open the facility for business. The objective of using the T-minus schedule is to ensure that every task has been addressed prior to substantial completion of construction. Each task identified on the T-minus schedule is assigned to a department that is responsible for that item. Within each department, a staff member is assigned to “champion” each task so that every task on the schedule is being worked on and tracked. Weekly progress meetings help ensure tasks are being completed on a timely basis.
Missing even the smallest item can often lead to costly delays in opening a senior living facility for business. Whether it is scheduling a state health department inspection or ordering flatware for dining services, every task on the T-minus schedule is an important, and necessary, part of a facility’s pre-opening process.
Contact us today to discuss the T-minus schedule and how we can create a custom version to meet your needs. Our team brings decades of experience overseeing the design and construction of senior living projects, and we can ensure your project is completed successfully.
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