Warren General Hospital is the first facility worldwide to install the IN-DAPTTM Ceiling System developed by Walters Healthcare Resources (WHR) of Palmer, Texas. IN-DAPT is a modular, medical construction grid system that allows for the easy installation and repositioning of the ever-increasing technologies and services that are installed in, routed through or hang from the ceiling. Eliminating the complexity of adding new technologies and reducing the time involved from weeks to literally overnight, the IN-DAPT System removes the typical obstacles that hospitals face when considering upgrades.

“By allowing medical facilities to implement new technologies faster, more economically and with minimal disruption to Operating Room schedules, IN-DAPT essentially future-proofs the OR,” according to Mark Walters, WHR’s founder and the system’s inventor. “Each new medical innovation can be selected based on the efficiency and patient-care benefits it provides, without the typical concerns about lost OR time or the complexity of installation.”

Warren’s Director of Surgical Services, Jolene Johnson agrees, explaining that by streamlining the installation process, the system also streamlines the decision-making process. “If we want to add anything going forward the infrastructure and wiring is all there. It’s just a matter of removing panels, making the change and replacing the panels,” she says. This will allow Warren to bring new efficiencies and improved care solutions to its patients, not only quickly but as frequently as needed.  

Keeping Up with the Rapid Rate of Medical Innovation

Designing new technologies to be installed in and above the ceiling is a logical trend that has been going on for several decades. These devices utilize services such as electrical, medical gas and plumbing that are already installed in the ceiling – and, their off-the-ground installation minimizes the use of valuable operating room floor space creating safer, more efficient OR workflows.

“The problem is the rapid rate of medical innovation has created somewhat of a traffic jam, as architects, builders and healthcare professionals are challenged with the cost and complexity of installing an increasing number of new and improved technologies above the ceiling – all while avoiding physical and technical conflicts,” says Walters. “Each new medical innovation kicks off another round of renovation and construction. Due to the rate of medical innovation, this cycle and the related delays and costs are a seemingly endless challenge to the hospital.”

“IN-DAPTTM breaks that cycle - permanently,” according to Walters. Since IN-DAPT integrates all mechanical, electrical, medical gases, imaging, audio and structural mounts in a single intelligent solution, changes can be made to a room’s ceiling configuration literally overnight. Key to the solution is IN-DAPT’s complete modularity which allows equipment to be installed anywhere in the grid, then easily repositioned, re-configured or re-designed during and after initial ceiling construction.

Andy Skerda, Warren’s Surgical Service Manager feels the renovation of their three ORs was perfectly designed and doesn’t anticipate changes soon, but recognizes the flexibility they now have.

“When we do want to make a change it’s a significant benefit to make that change quickly and easily.”

Johnson applies some numbers to the comparison. “We renovated three rooms over approximately five months. Now, with the IN-DAPT System, future changes will take a day or less.”

 Walters adds that updates, which would previously cost upwards of $100,000 or more, can now be handled at dramatically lower costs, increasing the hospital’s return on its initial IN-DAPT investment.

 An Experience-Based Solution

WHR is a US leader in Operating Room construction and renovation with more than 600 OR projects to its credit. The IN-DAPTTM Ceiling System was developed based on WHR’s years of experience helping hospitals deal with the challenges and costs of in-ceiling and above-ceiling technology updates.

By removing the current obstacles to ongoing updates, IN-DAPT allows hospitals to anticipate and adapt to new technologies—rapidly, and with lower costs—resulting in improved efficiency, optimum care for patients and uninterrupted revenue streams for hospitals.

Introduced in March of 2015, IN-DAPT received an immediate and strong response from the market. The Warren installation marks the first use of the system nationwide. Additional installations are currently ongoing throughout the US.

For further information visit www.orrenovations.com or www.in-dapt.com.