Cooperation with Client's Staff
We closely work with your appointed staff members. We hold frequent and thorough discussions with your operating and maintenance personnel. Close cooperation between your staff and ours is essential for beneficial outcome.

Our Method of Analysis
We consider each assignment unique and demanding of our intense focus. Our approach is usually in four problem-solving steps.

• Setting goals of the study. We believe it is essential at the outset to have a clear idea of what is to be accomplished by the study. A distinct definition of administrative goals is established as a baseline for analytic and feasibility studies.
• Development of requirements. Accurate basic information on volumes, constraints and critical statistics are developed and confirmed before projections, trends, or restructuring of operational systems or space requirements can be made. Important in this process are interviews with principle users -- surgeons; nurses; techs; anesthesia personnel, other support personnel and administration, as indicated -- to gain information on intangibles, interpersonal relationships and complaints which do not show up on statistics.
• Review of present operational systems. Strengths and weaknesses in present fulfillment of requirements are quantified to determine productivity and effectiveness of existing systems. In this evaluation, industrial engineering techniques such as work sampling, time studies, flow charts and statistical analysis are employed. Previously unforeseen problems are thus identified and opportunities for improvement become evident.
• Restructure of systems and development of new methods. As new requirements are defined and restructured, and as new and improved systems emerge, we work especially closely with hospital staff and administration at all levels to agree on the most practical and workable solutions, both short-term and long-term.

Progress Meetings
We conduct Progress Meetings at regular intervals in the course of every study between our consultants and users. The purpose of these meetings is:

1. To describe our approach, to present our findings, to relate all necessary technical information and to set forth tentative conclusions and recommendations as they develop.
2. To engage in bilateral consultation so that the users have an opportunity to express constraints, disagreements and concerns, and we may benefit from the users' experiences and opinions.
3. To inform all concerned of all progress and decisions, and when consensus or compromise is reached on findings and recommendations. All major conclusions and recommendations are covered in the final Progress Meeting.

Assignment of tasks and responsibility. We provide a precise schedule of assignments and priorities which identifies each person responsible for each step within a given time period. We identify responsibility for each action or decision called for in the recommended plan.

Sequencing. Certain actions and results lay in the groundwork for others. Therefore, it is inevitable that there be a sequence or chronology of implementation of new or improved systems.

We participate in the implementation process. Participation of principals of HLA who developed the functional, or operational program are available in the implementation process, either as recommendations become apparent during a study, or after its completion.

We work with the architects throughout the design development when space and facilities programming lead to decisions to renovate, expand, or replace facilities.

We provide performance specifications for fixed and high technology equipment as well as for communication needs.

Followup Policies
Our followup policies assure lasting benefits and savings.

Whether or not the client asks us to participate formally in implementation of the functional program, we are available for followup work with the hospital staff to ensure full understanding of new systems or objectives. After completion of a project, we are available on call for review of performance at every level. Experience shows that occasional visits are helpful in assuring that inhouse implementation in proceeding satisfactorily.