The 2010 annual conference for the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) gets underway in Tampa, Fla., this week, and the society is highlighting – among other issues – excellence in healthcare facilities management.
Chicago-based ASHE is a membership group of the American Hospital Association, with more than 10,000 members focused on optimizing the healthcare physical environment. Healthcare facility management professionals have recently begun to emphasize the importance of the physical environment in healthcare.
Recent research has supported their claims. The Center for Health Design has identified hundreds of studies linking positive patient outcomes with healthcare facility environments.
One panel addressing the topic at this year’s conference will focus on best practices for optimizing the environment of care and promoting excellence in facilities management. According to Tim Adams, professional development director for ASHE, panel presenters plan to discuss the role that facilities management plays in patient satisfaction and teach managers how to increase their visibility within their facilities.
Speakers include George "Skip" Smith, ASHE's president-elect and vice president of supply chain/clinical engineering at Catholic Health Initiatives in Hilliard, Ohio; Donald E. Wojtkowski, executive director for design and construction at SSM Health Care in St. Louis; and Iona Canada, corporate manager of healthcare business development for Trane, a Piscataway N.J.-based commercial air conditioning vendor.
The ASHE annual conference runs through Wednesday, July 14.