The Planate Management Group (Planate) Planning Team organized several work sessions as part of an ongoing effort to provide Capital Asset Inventory (CAI) space planning for the VA Western Colorado Health Care System and Grand Junction VA Medical Center (GJVAMC). These sessions were held with nearly 100 medical service line representatives in Grand Junction, CO during the week of 8-12 July 2019. Mark Moszak, AICP, Director of Planning for Planate, is seen here facilitating one of several workshops held at Colorado Mesa University. Mr. Moszak lead a great team effort that included onsite support by Chris Deeks, Christopher Buck, Jennifer Jones (Intern), Andrew Swanson and Mike Knowles, and off-site support by Tim Stufft, Lindsay Barber, Bob Harris, Mary Valmonte, and Enesh Easlick. Each medical service was asked to validate their current use of space and produce patient throughput and functional relationship diagrams to better understand their space needs and additional requirements. The full effort will support future facility programming and master planning by providing an established baseline of new computerized floor plans for all buildings on campus along with a set of calculated long range VHA criteria worksheets for each medical service. In addition to ongoing planning, Planate is also providing on-site project development and construction management support to the GJVAMC Engineering Department. The purpose of the workshop was 1) to bring in representatives from each department, 2) have them identify their current space use, 3) identify shared spaces, 4) identify space requirements as part of a data gathering exercise to identify gaps in their space use, and 5) support the development of a comprehensive space use plan for the Hospital.
Slide presentations, worksheets, floor plans and practical exercises were used to walk participants through the process of space planning and the development of functional relationship diagrams. Through these methods, participants learned how each department interacts with another. The information gathered also revealed the challenges of managing space within the hospital. It was an eye-opening experience. After the workshop, Anna Crickmer, POC for the VA, said that participants really got a lot out of the workshop and she was very pleased with our efforts.
About Planate Management Group
Planate Management Group provides a unique business model delivering facilities engineering and operational solutions in challenging regions and environments for our clients around the world. Our planning, design, and facilities engineering services expertise cover Planning, Architectural and Engineering (A&E) Design, Construction Management, and Management Consulting and Technical Services. For more information, please visit http://www.planate.net/.