Healthcare Planning for Proposed Major and Mid-Level Lease Projects
U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA)
Healthcare Planning, Service Delivery Planning, Demographic and Workload Analysis, Geospatial Analysis, Market-Level Planning, Location Planning, Facility Planning, Space and Equipment Planning and Programming, Space Criteria, SEPS Program for Design, Feasibility Studies, Federal Budget Support, Budget Prospectus Development
Summary
The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) publishes its construction budget as a part of the President’s annual budget to Congress. In preparation of the budget release, VA develops Major Construction and Major Lease project prospectuses and supporting documentation to justify each project’s scope, cost estimates, underlying demographic and workload data, cost-effectiveness, and compliance with Office of Management and Budget circulars.
Since 2016, members of the Craddock Group have supported VA in the review of its Major Construction and Lease projects, which are annually approved in the Strategic Capital Investment Planning (SCIP) process. This review has included a holistic validation of the submitted lease requirements, including analysis of the underlying market demographics and workload data, geospatial analysis of existing points of care, high-level service delivery review, and a review of the initially submitted space plan to prevent over- or under-sizing. The Team presented its recommended evidence-based changes and coordinated with VA central office and local stakeholders to reconcile suggestions with the original project submissions in the creation of a final Space & Equipment Planning System (SEPS) program for design (PFD) space plans for each lease project, ensuring local Veterans receive a right-sized, modern, and cost-effective facility upon project approval, funding, and execution.
Approach
1. Review Project Submission.
Collected and reviewed project submission documentation provided through the SCIP process, including the project’s project submission application, SEPS PFD, Cost-Effectiveness Analysis (CEA) template, and pre-planning questionnaire, to understand the intent of the scope and services included.
2. Data Collection and Analysis.
Pulled data from Veterans Health Administration’s (VHA) Enrollee Health Care Projection Model on market-level historic and projected demographic and workload trends. Using the central data and mapping software, developed geospatial analyses detailing existing VA facilities and historic use patterns at a zip-code level for population-based services to inform high-level service delivery planning.
3. High-level Service Delivery Planning.
Developed a high-level service delivery plan, detailing the key characteristics of each included service line based on existing points of care, demographic and workload projections, historic use patterns, and intent of the project. Compared key characteristics against those included in the original project submission pre-planning questionnaire to identify services which may be potentially over- or under-sized. Coordinated with central office and local stakeholders to solicit feedback, align expectations, and refine the plan to ensure compliance with evolving enterprise-wide planning assumptions and guidelines.
4. Space Planning.
Developed a criteria-driven space plan for each proposed lease based on high-level service delivery planning outputs. Facilitated final concurrence process with central office and local stakeholders to ensure full agreement on revised project submission scope, size, and services included.
5. Budget Documentation Preparation.
Created project prospectuses and associated supporting documentation for inclusion in VA’s budget, ensuring compliance with legislative mandates and oversight guidance.
Supported VA in submitting all VHA Major Lease and Major Construction budget packages for the President’s Budget since 2016.
Developed right-sized, modern, and cost-effective facility space plans driven by demographic and workload data for each lease submission.
Reviewed and suggested revisions for between 10 to 20 lease submissions each year. These annual efforts resulted in workload-data-driven project right-sizing that helped VA avoid approximately $1 billion in total rent and tenant improvement payments for unneeded space.
Results
Results
Supported VA in submitting all VHA Major Lease and Major Construction budget packages for the President’s Budget since 2016.
Developed right-sized, modern, and cost-effective facility space plans driven by demographic and workload data for each lease submission.
Reviewed and suggested revisions for between 10 to 20 lease submissions each year. These annual efforts resulted in workload-data-driven project right-sizing that helped VA avoid approximately $1 billion in total rent and tenant improvement payments for unneeded space.
