Virginia Commonwealth University Health System Authority

HERA provided programming for the clinical laboratory services of the new Inpatient Bed Tower, which included central receiving, chemistry/hematology, microbiology, blood bank & apheresis, molecular diagnostics/cytogenetics, anatomic pathology, and administrative and support space.

Currently, the clinical and anatomic pathology labs are located in four different buildings and on several different floors within and outside the VCU Health complex. HERA led four workshops to establish the clinical laboratory’s needs and overall vision for its future. The team collected data related to current and future expected growth, and led interactive sessions to determine ideal future state for the pathology facilities.

The team worked collaboratively with the users to develop program options that would simplify the locations based on needs, including:

• FTEs at peak
• Specimen flow, representing flow of samples, specimens, blood products materials, supplies and waste streams
• Shared and consolidated services
• Target future volumes
• Major current and future equipment, including expected future automation
• Manual processes / workstations