Managing space for managed care: the challenge for a multispecialty group practice

A project that began as an architectural study to determine space requirements and remedy space deficiencies for an academic medical center's faculty multispecialty group practice led to development of an analytical methodology for assessing real space needs and viable options for solutions in the context of the group's operational policies, physician practice patterns, and business goals. Major facility investments for new or renovated construction demand significant capital expenditure, which can severely affect a group's ability to complete as a financially viable player in a marketplace environment of increasingly competitive managed care delivery systems. The methodology created during this project helped the group practice to understand how they could optimize the use of existing space, minimize capital costs, and provide flexibility for future developments.