Preparing for a seamless and successful move day requires extensive and meticulous planning. Taking action very early in the project increases your success rate. Consider the following:
Purging
Purging can be surprisingly time-consuming and can lead to move-day-stress if not addressed very early in the process. Purging should begin several months in-advance. Schedule a 20- or 30-minute time-period each day to purge one drawer, one batch of files, one shelf or a storage bin. Each purging session adds up! Before you know it, your space will be reduced to only those items that need to be packed and moved. And should you need time to scan documents, archive or take items home, purging early allows you plenty of time to address these by-products of the purging process. Completing the purging process well before packing, ensures you only pack what you need. That means packing fewer boxes, and less to unpack!
Record Retention Policy
In order to properly purge those filing cabinets which are long overdue, the team needs to be informed and aware of the Record Retention Policy and Schedule. Well in-advance of a big move, the leadership team should review, update, and share with the staff, the policies and timeline for record retention. Some items may need to be saved forever, but most documents have a schedule for when they can be shredded or destroyed. Can the paper documents be scanned and saved as electronic files? A clearly defined plan will ensure uniformity in the purging process, support early purging, and may reduce the number of filing cabinets needed in the new space.
Packing
Make a packing timeline based upon your use of the items which need to move. Consider which items can be packed well-in-advance such as framed art, decorations, desk items, supply rooms and closets, etc. These items can be packed a month in advance. Evaluate for example, the supplies and items required to complete two-weeks’ worth of work. All other items can be packed two weeks prior to move day. Consider what you will need two days before the move to complete your work for two days. All other items can be packed at the two-day mark. Evaluating your needs in-advance and developing a checklist or packing timeline, and following it, will ensure you are packed and ready before the move day, while also managing the daily work of the unit.
Importance of Labeling
Unlike packing your home for move day, labeling moving boxes and equipment for your health care facility relocation requires additional care and consistency. Labeling a box “supply room” as you might do with your “kitchen” will not be useful if there are several supply rooms in the new healthcare facility. HBS provides detailed floor plans, color-coded labeling stickers and a naming system to ensure the healthcare team and the moving team understand exactly where items should go, and where it came from. This ensures the move runs smoothly and in the most efficient way.
Equipment Preparation
What about moving the medical equipment? There are many expert tips and tricks for moving medical equipment safely and effectively. For example, mobile equipment can be cleaned prior to the move, covered with a green bag, and labeled for relocation, in the same way moving boxes can be labeled. Before the equipment arrives in its final destination, it will be wheeled over sticky pads to clean the wheels, and any surfaces which were handled along the route, will be wiped clean before placement. For specialized equipment, HBS and the vendor representative will coordinate a detailed plan according to the specific needs of each piece. Another tip is to add bubble wrap into the empty spaces in freezers and refrigerators to reduce shifting of the contents during the move. These tips and more can be provided by your HBS transition planning team!
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