By Dan Hounsell

The COVID-19 pandemic has changed nearly every aspect of healthcare facilities management, from HVAC systems and infection control, but one element affected deeply in the last 15 months — the bottom line — has an impact on nearly everything else.

Now, with the midway point of the year approaching, many healthcare managers are in the midst of creating their capital and operational plans, according to Health Facilities Management.

With year-over-year revenues down at most facilities, capital plans are being modified, if not postponed, so managers should examine the potential impact to their facilities.

What are best practices in securing capital and operational funding? Here are questions facilities managers should ask:

• Is asset data in the computerized maintenance management system accurate?
• Does the facilities manager have the correct inventory, asset condition, installation date, preventive maintenance, and break-and-fix history?
• Does the manager have a baseline engineering assessment of the facility? This can be as formal as a facility condition assessment by a third party or an assessment using the subject matter expert on the facilities management team.