Montréal, Québec, Canada

The new Centre Hospitalier de L’Universite de Montréal (CHUM) in downtown Montréal is one of the largest hospitals in North America, which consolidated care providers and patients from three significant legacy hospitals: Hôtel-Dieu, Notre-Dame and Saint-Luc hospitals.

After witnessing HCR’s successful completion of the massive McGill University Health Centre relocation in 2015, HCR was retained by CHUM and its P3 partner, Construction Santé Montréal (a consortium led by international contractors Laing O’Rourke and Obrascon Huarte Lain), to provide a complete package of Operational Commissioning, Installation, Transition Advisory and Patient/Asset Relocation services in support of the 3-phase move into this new $3.6 billion facility.

In advance of the relocation, HCR performed a complete Operational Commissioning review in order to then develop a detailed Facility Activation Schedule, which defined, organized, and scheduled all planning tasks and staff resources required for each department moving to the new facility. This ensured that all staff were ready to begin immediate, organized and safe operations on the first day of occupancy. HCR also assisted in the development of a service level reduction and recovery plan to reduce the patient census ahead of the move and subsequent return to full service.

Prior to the move, HCR provided installation services throughout the facility for approximately 14,000 owner-purchased items, such as sharps containers and dispensers for disinfectant, masks and gloves.

To facilitate occupancy of the new building, HCR developed and then implemented a 3-phase move plan and schedule that was designed to allow the prompt occupancy of the building, balancing the need for a speedy transfer with the requirement for a safe and controlled ramp-up of operations in the new facility. The relocation took into account the many unique requirements of each of the three relocating hospitals and followed routes and schedules established in consultation with the City of Montreal and local police.

Phase one of the move began with the relocation of the former St-Luc Hospital. Located immediately adjacent to the new CHUM, an interior corridor between the two hospitals built specifically to accommodate the move allowed this move to be completed without the need for ambulances. A total of 113 patients were safely relocated, including babies and ICU patients. Immediately following the move, demolition of the old hospital began as the first step in preparing the site for construction of the last phase of the new facility.

Phase two saw the relocation of North America’s oldest hospital, the former Hôtel Dieu Hospital, and the transfer of 51 patients via ambulance and wheelchair vehicles.

Concurrent with all move phases, HCR relocated numerous clinics and offices into multiple separate buildings in the vicinity of the new CHUM pending construction of the final phase of the facility, adding to the logistical challenge.

The third and final move phase relocated a total of 108 patients on patient move day from the former Notre-Dame Hospital via ambulance and wheelchair vehicles. The patient move involved coordinated efforts by over 300 CHUM employees, physicians and volunteers and marked the successful completion of this massive relocation.

A project of this size and complexity required years of dedication, experience, and precise planning. HCR first became involved in this project in June of 2011, began the detailed planning in July 2015 and maintained a constant position of leadership and support throughout the transition, which concluded in November of 2017.

News Article(s):

 St. Luc Hospital Move:
http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/chum-superhospital-to-accept-patients-as-of-oct-2
http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/st-luc-patients-to-move-to-new-chum-superhospital-on-sunday
http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/st-luc-hospital-closes-nouveau-chum-opens-to-new-patients
http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/chum-superhospital-to-accept-patients-as-of-oct-2
https://www.thestar.com/news/canada/2017/10/08/montreal-superhospital-opens-with-transfer-of-103-patients.html
http://journalmetro.com/actualites/montreal/1207381/plus-de-160-patients-demenages-de-saint-luc-au-chum-dimanche/

Hôtel Dieu Hospital:
http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/patients-to-move-from-hotel-dieu-hospital-to-nouveau-chum-on-sunday
http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/patients-at-hotel-dieu-make-the-move-to-the-chum
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/hotel-dieu-hospital-chum-move-1.4388268

Notre-Dame Hospital Move:
https://montreal.ctvnews.ca/montrealers-urged-to-avoid-notre-dame-er-as-hospital-preps-for-superhospital-move-1.3688939
http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/patients-transferred-from-hopital-notre-dame-to-the-new-chum
http://www.tvanouvelles.ca/2017/11/26/dernier-demenagement-vers-le-chum