CPOM Module 19, Section 3: Launching New Service Lines
MODULE 19: STRATEGIC GROWTH & SERVICE LINE EXPANSION

Section 19.3: Launching New Service Lines: Planning to Execution

The project management playbook for a successful launch, covering stakeholder engagement, workflow design, staff training, marketing, and the critical steps of a go-live plan.

SECTION 19.3

From Blueprint to Reality: The Implementation Playbook

Mastering the discipline of project management to ensure a flawless service line launch.

19.3.1 The “Why”: An Idea is Not a Service

You’ve done the hard work. You’ve identified a brilliant opportunity, conducted a rigorous analysis, and crafted a compelling business case that has won the approval of the C-suite. You have been given the green light and the resources to proceed. This is a moment of triumph, but it is also a moment of immense peril. The transition from a well-researched idea on paper to a living, breathing, value-generating service in the real world is where most new initiatives fail. A brilliant strategy with flawed execution is worthless.

This section is your masterclass in execution. The skills that got you to this point—strategic thinking, financial analysis, clinical expertise—are different from the skills you will need now. The launch phase requires a new identity: you must become a master project manager. Project management is the formal discipline of organizing, planning, and directing resources to achieve a specific goal within a specific timeframe. It is a world of Gantt charts, stakeholder maps, risk logs, and communication plans. It may seem less glamorous than the visionary work of strategy, but it is infinitely more important in determining your ultimate success or failure.

Why is this so critical? Because a service line launch is not a single event; it is a complex symphony of dozens, if not hundreds, of interdependent tasks involving multiple departments, technologies, and personalities. If IT doesn’t build the right order sets, the service can’t function. If Nursing isn’t trained on the new workflow, patient care will suffer. If Supply Chain doesn’t stock the right medications, the program will grind to a halt on day one. Your job as the project leader is to be the conductor of this symphony, ensuring every section plays its part at the right time and in perfect harmony. A botched launch doesn’t just delay success; it can permanently damage the credibility of the pharmacy department and poison the well for your future strategic initiatives. Getting this right is how you build a reputation not just as a visionary, but as a leader who delivers.

Retail Pharmacist Analogy: Launching a Travel Health Clinic

After months of analysis, your corporate office has approved your business case to launch a new Travel Health & Immunization Clinic inside your pharmacy. You have the budget and the green light. Now the real work begins.

You can’t just put a sign in the window. You have to manage the project.

  • Project Plan & Timeline: You create a checklist with deadlines. Week 1: Order the vaccination refrigerator. Week 2: Complete the CDC Yellow Fever certification online. Week 3: Finalize documentation forms with your legal department. Week 4: Train the other pharmacists. You are creating a Gantt chart.
  • Stakeholder Engagement: You meet with the managers of the three family-practice clinics in your medical building. You present the service, explain the referral process, and provide them with informational flyers for their patients. You are managing your key referral sources.
  • Workflow Design: You map out the entire patient experience. How does a patient book an appointment? What forms do they fill out? Where do they wait? How is the consultation documented? How is the claim billed? You are designing the operational workflow.
  • Resource Management: You order the vaccines, sharps containers, and specialized travel health reference books. You work with facilities to have a new hand-washing sink installed in the consultation room. You are managing resources.
  • Go-Live: On the first day the clinic is open, you don’t schedule yourself for your usual dispensing shift. You are on-site, dedicated to the clinic, ensuring the first few patients have a flawless experience, troubleshooting the new scheduling software, and answering questions from the other staff. You are managing the go-live.

The success of your new clinic has less to do with your initial idea and everything to do with the quality and thoroughness of your execution plan. This structured, methodical approach is the essence of project management.

19.3.2 The Project Management Framework: From Initiation to Closeout

Formal project management provides a proven, structured methodology for guiding a project from concept to completion. While there are many flavors (Agile, Waterfall, etc.), the principles outlined by the Project Management Institute (PMI) offer a robust framework that can be adapted to any healthcare initiative. We can think of the project lifecycle in five distinct phases.

The 5 Phases of a Service Line Launch

1. Initiation

Formalize the project, secure sponsorship, and assemble the core team. Create the Project Charter.

2. Planning

Develop the detailed roadmap. Define workflows, create timelines, and engage all stakeholders.

3. Execution

“Do the work.” Build the EMR components, train the staff, and procure resources.

4. Go-Live

Launch the service. Manage the first days/weeks of operation and rapidly solve problems.

5. Closeout

Transition the project to ongoing operations. Hand off responsibilities to an operational manager.

19.3.3 Phase 1: Initiation – Laying the Foundation

The Initiation phase is brief but critically important. It occurs right after your business case is approved. Its purpose is to transition the “idea” into a formal, sanctioned “project” with a clear leader, a clear mandate, and executive backing. Skipping this step is a common mistake that leads to confusion, scope creep, and lack of authority down the road.

The Project Charter: Your Project’s Constitution

The primary output of the Initiation phase is the Project Charter. This is a 1-2 page document that serves as the project’s foundational agreement. It summarizes the key information from your business case and formally authorizes you, the project manager, to proceed and utilize organizational resources. It is your shield and your mandate. When another department questions the project’s priority or your authority, you can point to the charter, signed by an executive sponsor, as the source of truth.

Masterclass Table: Anatomy of a Project Charter
Charter Component Purpose Example (For a HF Transitions of Care Program)
Project Title A clear, concise name. Heart Failure Transitions of Care (HF TOC) Service Line Launch
Project Sponsor The executive leader who championed the business case and is ultimately accountable for its success. This is your “ace in the hole.” Jane Doe, Chief Nursing Officer
Project Manager The individual with day-to-day responsibility for leading the project. (This is you). John Smith, PharmD, MBA, Director of Pharmacy
Problem Statement A brief summary of the “why” from your business case. The hospital’s 30-day HF readmission rate of 24% exceeds the CMS target of 18%, resulting in an estimated annual penalty of $1.2M.
Project Goal/Objectives Define what success looks like in clear, measurable terms (SMART goals). To launch a pharmacist-led HF TOC program by Q3, with the goal of reducing the 30-day all-cause HF readmission rate by 25% (from 24% to 18%) within 12 months of launch.
Scope (In & Out) Crucial for preventing “scope creep.” Explicitly state what the project WILL do and what it WILL NOT do. In Scope: All patients admitted with a primary diagnosis of heart failure. Meds-to-beds for HF-related medications. Post-discharge phone calls.
Out of Scope: Patients with a secondary diagnosis of HF. Management of non-HF medications. Home visits.
High-Level Budget The top-line numbers from your pro forma. Approved budget of $438,300 for Year 1, including capital for equipment and operational funds for 3.0 new FTEs.
High-Level Timeline Major milestones, not a detailed task list. Phase 1 (Planning): Jan-Feb. Phase 2 (Execution/Build): Mar-Jun. Phase 3 (Go-Live): July 1.
Sign-Off Signatures from the Project Sponsor and Project Manager. [Signature lines]

19.3.4 Phase 2: Planning – Architecting a Flawless Launch

This is the most intensive and time-consuming phase of the project. It is where you translate the high-level goals of the charter into a detailed, task-level execution plan. The axiom “failing to plan is planning to fail” has never been more true. A rushed or incomplete planning phase is the single biggest predictor of a chaotic and unsuccessful launch. Your job is to think through every possible detail, dependency, and contingency before the “real” work even begins.

Masterclass: Stakeholder Engagement & Management

A service line launch is a team sport, and many of the key players are not in your department. You do not have direct authority over the IT analyst, the nursing educator, or the referring physician. Your only tool is influence, and that is built through proactive, strategic communication. The first step in planning is to identify every single person and group who will be affected by, or can influence, your project, and then develop a plan to engage them.

The Stakeholder Analysis Matrix

This tool helps you move beyond just listing stakeholders to strategically planning your interactions with them.

Stakeholder Interest Level Influence Level Engagement Strategy
Jane Doe, CNO (Sponsor) High High Manage Closely: Schedule bi-weekly 30-minute check-in meetings. Provide a concise, one-page status report before each meeting. Escalate any major barriers to her immediately. Her job is to remove roadblocks for you.
Cardiology Physicians High High Keep Satisfied & Engaged: Identify a supportive “Physician Champion” from the group. Present at their monthly department meeting. Co-develop clinical protocols with them. Make them feel like co-owners of the program.
IT EMR Analyst Team Medium High Keep Informed & Engaged: They have high influence because you can’t succeed without them, but your project is one of 50 on their list. Meet with their manager early to get your project prioritized. Clearly define your requirements in writing. Give them long lead times.
Floor Nurses (Cardiology Unit) High Medium Keep Informed & Empowered: Their workflow will be directly impacted. Meet with the nursing manager and educators. Ask for their input on workflow design. Provide clear, simple educational materials. Be highly visible and supportive on the unit during go-live.
Finance Department Medium Medium Keep Informed: They will track your budget and ROI. Meet with your assigned financial analyst quarterly to review progress against the pro forma. Be transparent about any deviations.
The Art of the “Roadshow”

Do not expect stakeholders to come to you. You must go to them. In the early planning phase, schedule yourself to present at as many existing departmental meetings as you can: nursing huddles, medical staff meetings, case management rounds, etc. Prepare a concise 10-minute presentation that covers:

  1. The Problem: “Here is our current HF readmission rate and what it’s costing us.”
  2. The Solution: “Here is the new TOC program we are launching to fix it.”
  3. What It Means for You: “Here is exactly how this will affect your workflow and how we will support you.”
  4. The Ask: “I need your input on how to make this process seamless for your team.”
This proactive communication tour builds awareness, generates buy-in, and allows you to identify potential problems while they are still easy to solve.

Masterclass: Workflow & Process Design

This is where you move from abstract concepts to the concrete, step-by-step reality of how the service will actually work. The goal is to create a detailed process map for every key workflow, identifying each task, the person responsible, the technology used, and the handoffs between departments. A poorly designed workflow creates inefficiency, frustration, and safety risks. A well-designed one is invisible—it just works.

Visual Workflow: The HF TOC Patient Journey
Step 1: Patient Identification

An automated EMR report runs daily identifying all patients with a primary HF diagnosis admitted in the last 24 hours. The report is routed to the TOC Pharmacist’s work queue.

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Step 2: Initial Assessment & Reconciliation

The TOC Pharmacist reviews the patient’s chart and performs the admission medication reconciliation within 24 hours, focusing on baseline cardiac medications and adherence history.

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Step 3: Discharge Counseling (Day of Discharge)

Once the discharge order is placed, the TOC Pharmacist meets with the patient/family at the bedside. They use a standardized checklist and “teach-back” method to review each medication, indication, side effects, and diuretic titration plan.

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Step 4: Meds-to-Beds Coordination

During counseling, the pharmacist offers to fill the discharge prescriptions via the hospital’s outpatient pharmacy. If the patient accepts, the TOC Pharmacist sends the prescriptions electronically. The TOC Technician coordinates billing, then delivers the medications and collects the copay at the bedside before the patient leaves.

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Step 5: Post-Discharge Follow-Up Call

The TOC Pharmacist calls the patient 48-72 hours after discharge. They use a scripted template to assess medication adherence, identify any barriers (cost, side effects), and reinforce the follow-up appointment with the cardiologist.

Masterclass: The Staffing & Training Plan

Your service is only as good as the people delivering it. This part of the plan details how you will recruit, train, and validate the competency of the team.

The Competency-Based Training Matrix (HF TOC Pharmacist)
Competency Domain Training Method Evaluation / Validation Method
Advanced HF Pharmacology
(ARNIs, SGLT2i, MRA titration)		 Assigned readings of key clinical trials (e.g., PARADIGM-HF, DAPA-HF). Didactic lecture from the Physician Champion. Completion of ASHP’s Cardiology Certificate Program. Passing a written, case-based examination with a score of ≥90%.
Patient Communication & Teach-Back Review of AHRQ’s Teach-Back methodology. Role-playing sessions with standardized “patients” (other pharmacists). Shadowing a high-performing clinical nurse specialist. Direct observation of 3 separate patient counseling sessions by the Pharmacy Manager or a peer expert, with feedback provided via a standardized checklist.
EMR Documentation One-on-one training with an IT analyst in a test environment. Review of documentation templates and standards. Auditing of the first 10 clinical notes written by the new pharmacist to ensure they meet all documentation requirements.
Meds-to-Beds Workflow Shadowing the outpatient pharmacy staff for 4 hours. Hands-on training with the point-of-sale system and prescription processing software. Successful and independent processing of 5 test patient profiles from start to finish.
The Trap of the “Hybrid” Role

A common failure mode for new services is to try and launch them using existing staff in a “hybrid” model (e.g., “Our inpatient pharmacists will just add this to their current duties”). This almost never works. Clinical services require focused, dedicated time. When an operational fire erupts (which it always does), the “new program” duties are the first things to be dropped. Your business case must advocate for new, dedicated FTEs whose sole responsibility is the success of the new service. If the budget is tight, it is better to pilot the program in a smaller scope (e.g., only for one cardiology team) with a dedicated 0.5 FTE than to spread the responsibility across 5 existing staff members who can only devote 10% of their time to it.

19.3.5 Phase 3 & 4: Execution, Go-Live, and the Art of the “Soft Launch”

The Execution phase is where the team works through the detailed task list created during planning. This is the “building” phase. Weekly or bi-weekly project team meetings are essential to track progress, identify delays, and solve problems. As you near the end of the build, all focus shifts to planning the perfect launch.

The Go-Live Readiness Checklist

You cannot launch until every single item on this checklist is complete. This is your final quality check. The list should be reviewed item by item in the final project team meeting before the launch date.

Category Checklist Item Status (Done / Not Done)
Staffing & Training
Job descriptions finalized and approved by HR.
All new staff hired and onboarded.
All training modules completed by all staff.
All competency validations documented.
Staff schedules for the first month of operation are finalized and published.
IT & EMR
Patient identification report is built, tested, and validated.
Pharmacist documentation templates (flowsheets) are live in production.
All relevant order sets (e.g., discharge HF meds) have been updated.
All staff have the correct EMR security access and permissions.
KPI dashboard is built and data feeds are validated.
Facilities & Supplies
Dedicated office space for TOC team is ready and furnished.
All necessary IT hardware (computers, phones) is installed and functional.
Outpatient pharmacy has stocked key HF medications.
Patient education materials have been printed and delivered.
Communication & Marketing
Final “roadshow” presentation to cardiology and nursing completed.
E-mail announcement of launch sent to all relevant medical and nursing staff.
One-page “Quick Reference Guide” for the service is distributed.

The Soft Launch: Your Secret to a Smooth Opening

A “hard launch,” where you open the service to all eligible patients on day one, is a recipe for chaos. No matter how well you plan, there will be unforeseen issues. The best practice is a soft launch, a phased rollout that allows you to test your workflows in a controlled manner and fix problems before they affect a large number of patients.

For the HF TOC program, a soft launch might look like this:

  • Week 1: The service is only available to patients of a single, friendly cardiologist (your Physician Champion). The team supports 1-2 patients per day. The focus is on testing every step of the workflow and identifying bugs in the process. Daily 30-minute debriefs with the project team are held to triage and fix issues.
  • Week 2-3: After fixing the initial issues, expand the service to the entire cardiology team. Volume increases to 4-5 patients per day. The team refines their communication and efficiency.
  • Week 4: The service is now running smoothly. You declare the “official” launch and open it up to all eligible patients hospital-wide.

19.3.6 Phase 5: Closeout – The Graceful Handoff

The project is not done when the service launches. The final phase, Closeout, is the formal process of transitioning the service from the “project team” to its permanent “operational owner.” This is often a source of confusion and dropped balls. As the project manager, your final responsibility is to ensure a clean handoff.

The Project Closeout Checklist

Before your project team disbands, ensure the following are complete:

  1. Finalize all Documentation: All workflow documents, training manuals, and policies/procedures are updated with any changes made during the soft launch and stored in a central, accessible location.
  2. Hand off KPI Monitoring: Formally transition the responsibility for tracking the program’s KPIs to the operational manager (this may still be you, but in your operational role, not your project role).
  3. Hand off Budget Responsibility: Work with Finance to transition the program’s budget from a project code to a permanent departmental cost center.
  4. Conduct a “Lessons Learned” Session: Convene the project team one last time. Ask three questions: What went well? What went poorly? What would we do differently next time? Document the answers to help the organization improve its next project.
  5. Celebrate Success: Acknowledge and celebrate the hard work of the team. A simple thank-you email from the Project Sponsor to the team members and their managers goes a long way in building goodwill for your next initiative.