(10/11/2021)

COVID-19 certainly challenged the healthcare industry as a whole. But there was one group that helped set all healthcare facilities up for success: facilities management teams. These teams were prepared to pivot and adapt quickly at a time when every moment counted (and still does!). Facilities management teams are an invaluable benefit and service of healthcare organizations, one that can reduce costs, ensure safety and get your facility back to what you do best – caring for patients.

 

2016-7015-Tech-Cleaning-Air-Handler-Room.jpgAs healthcare systems slowly return to our new normal operations, facilities management responsibilities remain a priority. Let’s dive into the crucial components of facilities management that serve healthcare organizations daily.

Regulatory Compliance
Maintaining regulatory compliance is critical for keeping standards up-to-date and ensuring care is up-to-code. Like most in-person activities, unannounced surveys became a thing of the past during the height of the pandemic. However, vaccinations are allowing the world to return somewhat to normal, and The Joint Commission (TJC) has followed suit by returning to unannounced compliance surveys. After over a year of virtual meetings that kept many from physically entering a facility, today there is an increased focus on the importance of the physical environment.
 
An experienced facilities management leader will keep up with regulatory changes in the healthcare environment and assist with continued standardization and survey readiness, no matter if you know a surveyor is arriving or not. With thorough documentation procedures, facilities management teams should always have necessary information organized and available for any surveying agencies at any time.
 
Disaster Preparedness + Emergency Management
Disaster preparedness is crucial to ongoing operations, as we know not only with COVID-19, but also with Hurricane Ida and other natural disasters. The partnership between hospital leadership and their facility teams is vital for proper emergency management. Leadership must be fully bought-in to the facilities management team’s planning. This ensures the execution of emergency management plans occurs safely and efficiently to maintain operations during any emergency. As we know, emergencies can happen anytime, anywhere.
 
Space Flexibility
Acuity spaces allow facilities to quickly adapt rooms and areas to any unexpected situation, as we saw firsthand with the pandemic. Healthcare leaders understand the need for an integrated approach to space reconfiguration, particularly following COVID-19, which also greatly increased telehealth and isolation room usage. The ability to quickly adapt, reconfigure or repurpose space as needed when new information becomes available daily is a skill facilities teams know well.
 
An in-house facilities team with working knowledge of the site and local needs can partner with leadership teams to proactively provide critical information regarding capital planning, physical environment changes and budget development.
 
Prioritizing Flexible Investments
Your facilities team can partner with you during the capital planning process to forward data and industry benchmarks that demonstrate the value of upgrading and replacing items within your care environment, resulting in bottom-line savings.
 
When your organization prioritizes facilities management, your facility will provide a safer patient and associate experience, consistently up-to-date operations and increased revenue. Are you ready to put facilities management at the top of your list? Contact us at info@medxcel.com or 855-633-9235 to learn more about our services.