Getting the most out of an additional building
The Proton Therapy Center at this major oncology center is one of only a few of its kind in the United States. This advanced form of radiation therapy uses a proton beam to deliver radiation directly to the tumor, destroying cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue. However, this treatment method and its equipment also present operational challenges: a proton accelerator, beamline, and a three-story-tall gantry provide treatment to only four rooms, and the beam can be directed to only one clinical space at a time.
With an expansion already planned, the organization aimed to optimize space between buildings and answer critical questions about capacity and operational limits. To do so, it used an EYF digital planning solution to build a functional computer-based model of the current center and the proposed expansion.
Objectives:
- Optimize space utilization in the current facility and the new building
- Ensure adequate treatment and outpatient clinic capacity
- Assess 10-year demand projections and their impact on current and future capacity
- Test additional layouts and scenarios to support expansion decisions
Results:
- Potential savings of tens of thousands in construction costs, plus additional available space
- Future opportunities to evaluate improvement scenarios, such as:
- 80% of patients treated in the new building
- Pediatric patients treated in the current building
- Inter-building connections
Integrating the existing facility and the new building
Because the two buildings will operate as an integrated system, it was essential to include both the existing facility and the planned addition in the model. After importing CAD drawings to create a true-to-scale layout, the model was populated with patient arrivals, processing times, and staffing schedules. Operational rules were also incorporated, including room and equipment assignments, patient flow and process logic, and walking paths.
Accurate models enable trusted results
The model was built using historical data and interviews with subject matter experts, accounting for variability and exceptions by fitting the data to statistical distributions. To ensure the model accurately represented real operations, key metrics such as throughput and treatment times were used, along with validation sessions involving frontline teams and leadership. This enabled the organization to assess 10-year demand projections against current and future capacity, ensure adequate capacity, and optimize space across both buildings.
More efficiency now, and more gains ahead
An early finding was the low utilization of clinical rooms. The expansion design originally proposed six new clinical rooms, but the analysis indicated that four would be more than sufficient for the expected patient volume. This translates into potential savings of tens of thousands in construction costs and frees up valuable space for other uses. The analysis also confirmed there would be enough capacity to keep all outpatient clinic activities in the current building (for example, consults and follow-ups).
Next steps include using the same model to evaluate additional layouts and ideas: What if 80% of patients are treated in the new building? What if pediatric patients remain in the current building? How would an inter-building connection, such as a bridge or tunnel, affect operations and patient and staff satisfaction? These questions can be answered using the same digital planning foundation, unlocking significant future.