Abstract:
Commissioning a new building is one major incident in the life of a hospital. If well-managed, it can breathe new life into an existing facility. If mismanaged, delays can result which are costly in terms of resources and reputation. Well-managed hospital commissioning is best perceived in terms of a well-managed project. Numerous tools are available to ensure such projects; among these is Critical Path Methods. This report seeks to propose successful hospital commissioning, via Critical Path Methods, as it was studied in a South African Provincial Hospital Redevelopment Project. In the process of commissioning management, however, Critical Path Methods is only a tool. Other tools, such as the management judgment behind the Critical Path, are equally important in ensuring successful commissioning. If neglected, the success of Critical Path methods can be jeopardized. This report, therefore, will develop a commissioning management-framework for successful commissioning. Chapters 1 and 2 will establish the background of hospital commissioning in South Africa, and of the project studied. Chapter 3 will present the theory of Critical Path Methods as one tool in this framework. The report will then focus on application of the management tools as they emerged in this study. Chapter 4 will discuss CPM applied to time analysis via the computer software package, OPTIMA. The additional tools will be developed in Chapter 5 in a discussion of the cost of decisions. Finally, Chapter 6 will highlight organizational issues salient in effective implementation of the entire framework. Chapter 7 will summarize the results of the study.
