845-656-7748In addition to quality medical care, patients expect medical offices to be well-maintained and clean. With the potential spread of germs and infection, high-level cleanliness and disinfection must be top priority!
Some medical offices have hundreds of people in and out of its space daily, but how does the practice maintain its appearance and efficiency? How committed is the office to the health, safety, and well-being of its patients?
Facilities Management is the solution to these questions, playing a behind-the-scenes role in ensuring that the medical office runs smoothly.
Understanding the Role of Facilities Management (FM)
While Facility or Facilities Management (FM) largely supports infrastructure, it ultimately supports people. As defined by the International Facilities Management Association (IFMA):
“FM ensures the functionality, comfort, safety, sustainability, and efficiency of the built environment – the buildings we live and work in and their surrounding infrastructure. It is an organizational function which integrates people, place, and process within the built environment with the purpose of improving the quality of life of people and the productivity of the core business.”
Whether it’s managing the physical environment and its structural systems like HVAC, plumbing, lighting, and electricity or overseeing compliance and building safety, FM ensures that the office and all its components function properly, work together cohesively, and fulfill their intended purpose. When a medical facility is managed correctly, patients remain safe and protected.
The Key Components of Facilities Management at a Medical Office
For a medical office to attract and retain patients, it must maintain its standards and uphold a reputation of excellence. FM plays a critical role in achieving these goals.
Every medical facility has its unique operational needs depending on its size, location, and scope, however the ultimate FM objective is to create and maintain safe and clean environments for patients, staff, and guests.
Common FM responsibilities include:
- Property strategy
- Space management (optimizing and maximizing space layouts)
- Cleaning and disinfection
- General building maintenance and repairs
- Proactive maintenance strategies
- Emergency response and repairs
- Security and safety protocols
- Contribute to operational efficiencies
- Manage risks
- Oversee and reduce environmental impact
- Leverage technological solutions
- Guarantee compliance of health, safety, and environmental regulations
- Manage real estate and occupancy
- Contract management
- Managing renovations and refurbishments
Benefits of FM For Medical Office
The overall well-being and functioning of a medical office is contingent upon proper management.
The COVID-19 pandemic spotlighted the necessity of organizations across all sectors to make health and safety a top priority, making FM a crucial part of every organization. Benefits of having resources dedicated to FM include:
- Ensures the safety, comfort, and well-being of the patients and those that work and visit
- Contributes to operational efficiencies
- Provides proactive planning and responses to everyday challenges
- Plans and delivers infrastructure needs to support productivity
- Manage risks including those to facilities, employees, suppliers, and business reputation
- Oversee environmental impact and promote sustainability efforts
- Guarantee legal compliance
- Respond to emergencies
- Supervision of teams
According to the IFMA, “Facility Managers are the people who make sure we have the safest and best experience possible, by coordinating the processes that make the built environment succeed.”
Should Your Medical Office Outsource FM?
Depending on the size and scope of your facility, many medical offices opt to hire an outside FM company. While outsourcing your needs will still involve some in-house management, there are many advantages including cost savings, access to highly specialized skills, less risk, flexibility, and having a dedicated team with comprehensive oversight of the facility.
Experts in the field will allow your office to adapt to challenges, provide recommendations for efficiencies, and be fully committed to upholding your reputation. FM experts can provide insights that will help your personnel make better decisions, optimize the use of their resources, and provide cost-efficient recommendations.
Facilities management at your medical office requires resources and commitment, and FM specialists are trained to understand, manage, and respond to all necessary needs.
Partner with ABS / CBS to Uphold Your Medical Office’s Image & Excellence!
Operating a successful medical office is no easy task, and cannot be accomplished without the proper Facilities Management team in place.
Here at ABS/CBS, we have over 50 years of helping medical facilties operate successfully. We have a longstanding record of high-level facility management operations that save medical offices money, offer peace of mind, and contribute to the patient experience.
We’ll ensure that your office operates successfully, while you stay focused on the biggest tasks at hand—taking care of your patients and providing quality healthcare!
Contact us at 845-656-7748 or click here to set up free consultation.