5 Reasons Facilities Management Software Benefits the Healthcare Industry

Updated on October 11, 2021

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Managing a healthcare facility is a job that has become increasingly important since the pandemic. After all, among their duties, facility managers perform inspections and ensure the maintenance of the building and all medical equipment and supplies.

Such a job entails ensuring an exceptional environment for patients and staff while providing safety and security. But it is not a simple task, and it can be challenging to deal with all the requests. One way to make the routine easier and more efficient is to digitize processes.

If you too feel overwhelmed by the workload, consider facilities management software to take some of the responsibilities off your shoulders. There are several benefits of using this kind of software in healthcare.

1. Certifications and Compliances

Healthcare is a highly regulated sector, and the major aspect of a facility manager’s job is maintaining accreditations and meeting compliances, such as fire safety assessments and egress compliance. Such certifications involve many tedious details, but it’s a big responsibility, and forgetting something can put staff, patients, and visitors at risk.

Facilities management software can help you track all the elements that need to be in order for inspections. Among other tools, the system makes it possible to identify the necessary certifications and compliances, register regulatory changes, and even update it on important information, like when the Joint Commission is paying a visit. No one can remember all this from memory, and it never hurts to be cautious to ensure that all buildings meet security standards.

2. Daily Operations

A healthcare facility requires daily attention to ensure cleanliness and orderliness in patient rooms, waiting rooms, operating rooms, etc. There are also many moving parts with constant updates, and it can be difficult to keep everything under control. With facilities management software, you can track all moving parts in one place and streamline communications and updates.

The system allows you to manage all types of work from one source: tracking inventory supplies, placing work orders for repairs, scheduling cleanings to particular areas, etc. It also facilitates the way you communicate with your team, as the software tells everyone, by email or text message, what tasks are on deck and when they need to be achieved.

3. Quality Environment of Care

You can’t take risks when dealing with people’s health, especially when we’re recovering from a global pandemic. There’s a high standard that healthcare facilities must meet, and a facility manager has a large share of responsibility for this. One of the ways to ensure a safe environment is to check fire alarms, water systems, emergency reserves, and air quality. 

As these inspections must be made regularly, facilities management software helps schedule and monitor all these necessary events so that you don’t forget or postpone any of them. In these post-pandemic times where air quality is crucial, the software also makes it easy to schedule HVAC preventive maintenance and inspections, take care of temperature and humidity, and schedule filter replacements/cleaning. It helps to ensure that all patients, staff, and visitors are safe.

4. Security

One of the most sensitive aspects of healthcare facilities is that they work with a lot of private and sensitive information involving patient records and healthcare documents. No one expects to be a victim of data breaches, but unfortunately, cases are becoming more and more common. In 2020, there were 10 major incidents in the U.S. alone that affected more than 10 million individuals.

Cybersecurity has become as important as maintaining physical buildings. Facilities management software helps to keep all digital files safe, secure, and private. It also offers real-time surveillance (such as heat and footstep tracking) to keep facilities secure and safe.

5. New Projects

Keeping a healthcare facility up to date and functioning at its full potential eventually leads to renovations and expansions to install new medical equipment and procedures. This can be quite complicated for a facility manager, as it greatly affects the routine of the place and can disturb staff and especially patients.

Fortunately, any new construction or projects in the building can be monitored using facilities management software. You can manage assets and equipment within the facility, assess the best times to stop processes or isolate certain spaces, etc. The software can even help to budget future investments and keep projects on track.

A Software that Makes Things Healthier

COVID-19 forced everyone to adopt drastic changes. Healthcare facilities further raised their health and safety standards to provide the best environment for everyone. Many changes are small, but others require extra attention.

If facility managers already had a busy day before the pandemic, they now need to be even more prepared to ensure efficient operations and safety procedures. This could be the ideal time to implement a facilities management software and benefit from its tools for organization and efficiency. Remember, it is your job that guarantees the conditions in a healthcare facility best serve the patients, and software can make it easier.

The Editorial Team at Healthcare Business Today is made up of skilled healthcare writers and experts, led by our managing editor, Daniel Casciato, who has over 25 years of experience in healthcare writing. Since 1998, we have produced compelling and informative content for numerous publications, establishing ourselves as a trusted resource for health and wellness information. We offer readers access to fresh health, medicine, science, and technology developments and the latest in patient news, emphasizing how these developments affect our lives.