Equipped for Success

6-9-2024

One of the most critical pieces of planning for a new hospital is knowing what furniture, fixtures and equipment (FF&E) is required in each room, making sure it all fits, and is fully functional on opening day.

Windsor Regional Hospital is working with Insight Health Tech Planning (IHP), a group of experienced FF&E and Digital Health specialists, to guide and support this massive undertaking that includes the identification, procurement, delivery, and assembly of tens of thousands of items ranging from large diagnostic imaging systems and surgical equipment, to light fixtures and waste disposal bins.

Abdulsalam Jaber, IHP Managing Principal and Consulting Engineer, says the complex process will take years to complete, require a dedicated team, and include intensive engagement with user groups representing all hospital program and service areas. Through it all, the focus is ensuring an outstanding experience for all in the new hospital.

“We help select the right amount of furniture and equipment to ensure those needing and providing care have what they need, when and where they need it, and that the items chosen give a homey feel, while meeting the required clinical function and standards.”

Developing the FF&E Strategy

In the next planning stage, the IHP team will work closely with user group members to develop a room-by-room list of all FF&E requirements, detailing how much each item will cost, when it is needed and how it will be procured while ensuring all existing hospital policies, agreements and procurement contracts are adhered to as well as all provincial rules and mandates.

They will also develop a detailed list of the current inventory and identify which items with remaining useful life can be safely moved to the new facility without negatively impacting operations.

For a project of this size, the FF&E list is expected to include 50,000 – 60,000 items and will account for about 25 – 30 percent of the project budget.

Future-proofing is key

The IHP team has experience working on several large-scale hospital projects, including Cortellucci Vaughan, Scarborough Health, Dartmouth General Hospital and the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health (CAMH)

As part of the process they will work with architects to ensure the final design meets the hospital’s equipment needs on opening day and decades into the future.

Rae Burke, Director of Procurement Logistics Services, says it’s important to future-proof the building so that major renovations won’t be required down the road if equipment needs, vendors or specifications change.

“We recommend building around equipment with the most stringent design parameters, regardless of what we plan to purchase first,” she says. “That way whatever you purchase the second, third or fourth time will always fit in that room,” says Burke.

Creating a homey environment

In developing the plan, numerous considerations go into the selection of each item including, washability, infection prevention and control, noise emissions, cost, availability and patient experience.

Sofia Osman, Furniture Lead and Architectural Technologist for IHP says when choosing furniture and finishes there are opportunities to make the facility feel less institutional.

“It’s about making sure the furniture doesn’t feel cold and hard and the placement of furniture and equipment within the room creates a soft, warm and homey environment.”

Partners in the journey

In later stages of the project, the team at IHP will work with the Information, Communication, and Automation Technology (ICAT) specialists to coordinate equipment collaboration, ensuring everything is integrated, interoperable and talks to each other before opening day.

They’ll also work with the Operational Readiness team to ensure everyone is properly trained on any new equipment or systems and will continue to support the project for 6 months after the new hospital opens to ensure everything is running smoothly and is where it needs to be.

Even though opening day is years away, Jaber says it is important to start this work now, before the final design is complete, to avoid costly changes, delays and rework down the road.

 

 

Did you Know?

In 2023, Windsor Regional Hospital signed a 15-year Managed Equipment Service Agreement (MES) with GE HealthCare, ensuring staff and patients have access to innovative technology solutions and up-to-date medical technology at a predictable rate. Through the agreement, GE HealthCare is responsible for ongoing acquisition, installation, maintenance, and staff training for a majority of the medical technology used at the hospital, including Diagnostic Imaging, surgical, cardiology and emergency department equipment.

This agreement represents approximately 1800 pieces of major equipment and will continue throughout the transition from current WRH facilities to the new hospital. GE HealthCare will work with the FF&E team throughout the planning process and is a critical part of the FF&E strategy.