Hospital Outpatient Department Practice Startup Checklist

Executed correctly, establishing a hospital outpatient department (HOPD) practice with employed physicians is a successful strategy for hospitals to increase revenue, engage physicians and create a market-differentiating service line. The tasks associated with opening an HOPD are numerous and diverse. Some tasks are sequential in nature, while others can be done concurrently. The following is a comprehensive list of milestones that should be achieved prior to opening, which will promote a successful clinic opening. It is presented in grid format, noting the task, the task’s owner, its progress, and the dates when it is scheduled to begin and end. This grid is updated frequently as the project continues and is used as a communication tool for the project team to ensure the project is on schedule.