Waking a sleeping giant-the planning for success of a large project process at a large urban teaching hospital

The early planning of a project organization and process is critical to the eventual success of a large, complex project. Beth Israel Medical Center, a 1180 bed teaching hospital in New York City, embarked in 1991 on a plan to implement clinical information computer systems throughout its facilities. This project is described. The project manager considered the unique cultural and organizational aspects of Beth Israel in order to develop a strategy for the project. Strategy objectives included promoting broad educational awareness, establishing quick project momentum and visibility, gaining the approval of a competing organizational department, and developing a productive and effective project team. The start-up phase of any project can make or break the project. If one does not set the correct tone and build the correct organization, one can easily doom the project before it has ever had a chance to develop