Best Practices for Project Management, Design, and Construction of ...

Proper execution of these and the other best practices outlined in this chapter will ensure that a
project is put together in such a way as to allow it to navigate efficiently through the OSHPD
process.
7.1 Basic OSHPD Processes
The basic processes of OSHPD FDD are focused on its central mission: to assure that hospital
buildings are safe. The process is as follows:
• Plans developed by a licensed architect or structural engineer are submitted to OSHPD
for review and approval.
• Approved plans become eligible for a building permit.
• Construction of permitted plans is performed by a licensed contractor under the
continuous inspection of an OSHPD-certified Inspector of Record (IOR) and is observed
by OSHPD field staff.
• OSHPD field observation staff accepts the work as complete when fully finished and
certifies it as being compliant, allowing the State Licensing program to license the
construction for healthcare operations.
As simple as it sounds, there are enough opportunities for missteps along the path that can
grossly escalate costs, delay occupancy, and force changes in scope.
Best Practices
To avoid the pitfalls inherent in any complex construction process, hospital owners can adopt best
practices in their project planning and construction delivery methods that anticipate the causes of
budget, schedule, and scope impact and prepare to resolve them proactively.
Best practice strategies are used most effectively when applied to the appropriate phase of the
overall project program. The phases used here are as follows:
• Project selection and identification phase
• Project planning phase
• Design phase
• Permit phase
• Construction phase
• Closeout phase
(OSHPD Best Practices) Page 87 DRAFT FINAL, Sept. 2011