If hired, your first project would be an expansion of the emergency department. What outside agencies would you need to contact to facilitate this expansion?

To be considered for the position, you must know how many agencies will be affected by this expansion. Emergency departments have a high volume of patients, EMS agencies, law enforcement, air ambulance, and fire department personnel that use the emergency department facilities. The interviewer would like to hear that you consider these agencies in addition to contacting the planning and building departments.

"I have been the project manager for several emergency department expansions, and many agencies need to be contacted. First, I will contact the planning and building departments to submit plans and receive the necessary permits. Once the expansion is approved, I would contact the local fire departments, EMS agencies, law enforcement agencies, and the local air ambulance provider to notify them of the expansion and how it will affect their operations. If it were required by the planning or building department, I would also contact the environmental health agency."

"This would be my first time as a healthcare project manager overseeing an emergency department expansion. However, I have overseen a large expansion of a children's hospital and have a good idea of who would need to be contacted. As with any expansion, I would go through the building, planning, and environmental health departments to obtain the necessary permits to begin the expansion. Once the project is approved, I will see how the expansion will affect the patients and emergency personnel that use the facility. I would contact the local EMS agency and medical director, fire departments, law enforcement agencies, and air ambulance providers to describe our expansion and how it will affect their operations. I would also contact the local news agencies so they could notify the public of the expansion and how it will affect their visit to the emergency department."