My career began at 18, working as an electrician under my uncle's guidance. By 22, I had earned my Journeyman's license and was leading his service department. My uncle was instrumental in teaching me the essentials of business management, especially the art of delegation and prioritizing critical aspects like finances.

Despite being rooted in a family of electricians; I was intrigued by the possibilities beyond traditional electrical work. This curiosity led me to explore HVAC, a field I knew nothing about initially. After completing an intensive course in Oregon, I immediately received three job offers, signaling a promising new direction.

Eventually, my path took me to Oregon, where I managed a company specializing in HVAC and plumbing. It wasn't long before I realized the value of running my own business, which led me to establish a commercial HVAC service. My business model was innovative; I focused on maintaining critical equipment for large buildings, ensuring we could provide service around the clock. This approach propelled my business to significant financial success over 12 years.

However, the demanding nature of my business began impacting my family life. Heeding my wife's concerns about the lack of quality time with our children, I sold my share of the business to my partner. This transition marked my entry into Facilities Management, where I applied my accumulated technical expertise and leadership skills in a role that offered a more balanced lifestyle.

Continuing from where I left off, after making the challenging decision to leave my successful HVAC business, I was made aware of an opportunity at Med Columbia Medical Center for a supervisor HVAC technician position by a friend. I applied, got the job, and spent the next 12 years there, eventually becoming the assistant director. Here's a funny story. One day, I went to my director and said, "I think I am ready to move on as a director." He looked at me, chuckled a little, and said, “Yeah, you are more than ready; you've been ready. But here's your problem.” I asked, “What’s that?” He replied, “Well, I am not planning on retiring any time soon, so you’re gonna have to go somewhere else.” I was like, “WHAT!?” And then, I ventured out.

My search led me to a role still as an assistant director but with the crucial task of helping commission a new 226-bed hospital. Commissioning was a new venture for me; it involved ensuring all equipment operated within its designed parameters. Despite being unfamiliar with the role of a commissioning agent, my background in HVAC and facilities management allowed me to quickly adapt. I liaised with engineers, checked equipment parameters, and provided feedback. However, I recognized a significant oversight – the absence of actual operational load. I argued that the real test for the equipment would come only when the hospital was fully operational with all its demands on heating, air conditioning, and water systems.

Once we moved into the new hospital, several unforeseen issues arose. I meticulously documented these and communicated them back to the engineers weekly. The situation came to a head when a valve malfunctioned, leading to a burst gasket that almost compromised the building's integrity. This incident, while challenging, was immensely educational. It deepened my understanding of thermodynamics and system operations far beyond what I'd known before.

During this period, I was fortunate to have an exceptional mentor, the director of facilities, who encouraged my involvement in all meetings related to life safety committees. This mentorship and the experiences I gained from tackling real-world problems in a critical setting were invaluable. They not only broadened my technical knowledge but also sharpened my leadership skills, preparing me for future roles in facilities management.

Leadership in Facilities Management

Q1: Can you share your experiences and advice on effective leadership within facilities management, especially when it comes to leading teams and managing large-scale projects?

A: My tenure in facilities management, especially during the commissioning of the new hospital, significantly improved my ability to effectively communicate in meetings and collaborate with diverse teams. This period underscored the value of mentorship—both receiving it and providing it. The guidance from my mentors was pivotal in shaping my approach to leadership and mentoring within my teams. I've always believed in preparing for the future by developing succession plans, ensuring that there are capable individuals ready to step into leadership roles when necessary. Proudly, I have promoted four individuals into director positions after my departure from several jobs. Witnessing their seamless transition from assistant director to director and their success in managing complex operations has been exceptionally rewarding.

Following the commissioning project, I transitioned to Loma Linda University Medical Center, a vastly larger scale operation with over 900 beds and 3.2 million square feet of facility space. Operating with a budget exceeding $36 million and annual capital improvement projects around $1.5 million, this role presented a multifaceted challenge. Loma Linda taught me the essence of versatility in leadership. The role of a director of facilities, or even a manager or assistant director, requires wearing multiple hats—far more than one initially anticipates. Beyond the core responsibilities, I found myself overseeing a wide array of departments, from biomed and security to groundskeeping and even Environmental Services (EVS).

This role demanded not only a breadth of knowledge across different operational domains but also consistency in leadership. Each department, despite its unique function, shared underlying operational principles. My experience at Loma Linda reinforced the importance of adaptable, consistent management practices across diverse departments, a skill that has been instrumental in navigating the complexities of large-scale facilities management.

Q2: How do you foster a positive workplace culture within your facilities management team?

A: In my role as a facilities manager and eventually as a director, I've learned that leading a team effectively, especially in complex environments like healthcare, requires finding common ground and innovative strategies to manage and retain staff. This is particularly challenging in departments like Environmental Services (EVS) and dietary, where turnover rates are high due to the nature of the roles being less career-focused and relatively low-paying. The key to managing these departments successfully lies in creativity and innovation to keep staff engaged and interested in their work, preventing quick burnout and highlighting opportunities for advancement.

For example, managing the biomedical (biomed) department presents its own set of challenges, especially when they fall behind on preventive maintenance (PMs). Often, the difficulty isn't the PM itself but locating equipment that has been moved or misplaced. Part of my role involves assisting in tracking down these items, ensuring the biomed team has what they need to complete their tasks efficiently. This aspect of the job underscores the varied responsibilities facilities management entails, from hands-on problem-solving to strategic staff engagement.

Across all departments, the principles of management remain consistent—engaging and focusing your team on their priorities while fostering a supportive environment. Adopting a servant leadership approach has been fundamental to my philosophy. This means not dictating how jobs should be done but rather ensuring my teams have the resources and support necessary to perform their duties effectively. Recognizing that employees are hired for their skills, my goal has always been to eliminate obstacles, making their processes as simple and streamlined as possible.

Transitioning to a director's role at a smaller hospital presented an interesting shift. Despite the hospital's smaller size, I found myself managing more people across additional departments, a reflection of the "do more with less" mentality often encountered in rural healthcare settings. This experience further honed my ability to adapt and wear multiple hats, navigating the complexities of managing diverse teams and departments efficiently. It's about balancing the demands of the role with the resources available, constantly striving to optimize operations while maintaining a focus on staff engagement and support.

The role of a director of facilities often evolves, particularly when stepping into an interim position. This typically happens in hospitals because the previous director failed to meet compliance standards or keep up with necessary maintenance, leaving significant gaps that need addressing. My task is to rectify these shortcomings swiftly, focusing on regulatory compliance and maintenance that had been neglected, which can lead to increased costs. This approach often surprises hospital CEOs and CFOs who are accustomed to lower expenses contributing to better profit margins under former directors, who achieved cost savings by deferring maintenance and not meeting regulatory standards. Such practices might improve financials temporarily but fail in maintaining regulatory compliance, a critical aspect of hospital operations.

Upon assessing the situation, I present a comprehensive plan detailing the required actions and associated costs, which tends to shock management. However, I stress the critical nature of these measures for not only succeeding in future surveys but also for achieving long-term savings and maintaining regulatory compliance. Depending on the timing of the next survey window, I suggest either a phased approach to tackle one project at a time or an accelerated plan to address everything immediately, necessitating extensive coordination with contractors to ensure all improvements are documented and compliance is achieved. This shift in focus towards ensuring compliance and proactive problem-solving significantly influences my approach as a facilities manager, making the role both challenging and rewarding.

This role has fundamentally altered how I operate within facilities management, focusing more on bringing facilities into compliance, devising efficient solutions, and managing the execution swiftly. It's a challenging but rewarding position that has enhanced my appreciation for working in facilities management. The satisfaction of steering a facility back on course and ensuring it meets all regulatory requirements is immensely gratifying.

Navigating the unpredictable nature of facilities management has taught me the invaluable skill of adaptability. Despite meticulously planning my day with several hours allocated for unexpected tasks, I've often encountered situations that demanded my immediate and full attention from the crack of dawn. These moments, while challenging, underscore the dynamic essence of this role and its deeply rewarding nature.

Q3: How have you adapted your leadership and management style to effectively handle the challenges and dynamics of facilities management?

A: A significant aspect of my leadership approach revolves around empowering my team. When approached with a query, rather than providing a direct answer, I prompt my team members to reflect on their proposed solutions by asking, "What do you think we should do?" This technique not only fosters engagement but also leverages their expertise, as more often than not, they're already on the right track. It's about fine-tuning their ideas, adding insights where necessary, and endorsing their plan of action.

This methodology does more than solve immediate problems; it nurtures critical thinking and self-reliance among my staff. By emphasizing that I'm there to support them—whether it's an urgent need or acquiring a specific part—they feel more confident in their decision-making capabilities. This environment of trust and empowerment encourages them to take initiative, gradually minimizing their need to seek approval for every decision.

Ultimately, my goal is to cultivate a team of individuals who are not only smarter than myself but also confident in their abilities to develop and implement solutions independently. This approach has proven effective in building a resilient, proactive workforce that takes ownership of their roles, creating a positive ripple effect throughout our operations. It's about striking a balance between providing guidance and fostering autonomy, thereby ensuring that each member feels valued, trusted, and capable of contributing significantly to our collective success.

TJC Survey Experiences

Navigating The Joint Commission’s Evaluations

Q4: Reflecting on your past experiences with TJC surveys, could you discuss any specific instances where feedback from the survey led to significant improvements or changes in a facility’s operations or policies?

A: Working on Joint Commission surveys has significantly shaped my career in facilities management. The expertise and knowledge these surveyors have concerning codes and regulations are outstanding and immensely beneficial during surveys.

A key learning moment for me happened during my first encounter with a Joint Commission survey. My regulatory documentation wasn’t organized in the way the surveyor’s checklist was, which follows specific codes and their Elements of Performance (EPs). This led to a slow and inefficient search for the needed evidence. Realizing this, the surveyor generously shared his checklist with me, advising me to reorder my documents accordingly. This guidance was transformative. By aligning our documentation with the surveyor’s sequence, we reduced what could have been hours of review to about 30 minutes, provided there were no issues found. This adjustment not only saved time but also made the survey process smoother for all parties involved. The surveyor's willingness to share his approach taught me the crucial role of organization and regulatory alignment in enhancing efficiency in Joint Commission surveys. This insight has profoundly influenced my approach to facilities management, highlighting the importance of collaboration and adaptability in achieving compliance and safety standards.

In another instance during a survey's building tours, we faced a dilemma about who was qualified to conduct door inspections and the criteria for this qualification. We had someone with thorough experience in commercial door installations, assuming this would qualify him for inspecting and repairing doors, including fire doors. However, it turned out his experience did not cover the specific knowledge required for fire door compliance with every code. Despite our best intentions to follow the codes rigorously, our inspector’s lack of specialized knowledge led to inaccuracies in fire door repairs. When the Joint Commission conducted a follow-up, they identified several discrepancies in our repairs compared to the survey findings. This experience emphasized the necessity for specific expertise in areas as critical as fire door inspection and repair, reinforcing the lesson learned about the importance of precise knowledge and qualifications in maintaining compliance.

The surveyor's guidance was instrumental in highlighting two critical points for ensuring compliance with fire door regulations:

1. Matching Fire Ratings: The compatibility between the fire rating of the door, frame, and any hardware used in repairs is essential. This includes components like door sweeps, which must have a fire rating that matches the door assembly. This requirement ensures that the integrity of the fire door's function is maintained, preventing the spread of smoke or fire.

2. Qualified Personnel: The need for personnel to be specifically trained and qualified in fire door inspections and repairs cannot be overstated. This involves understanding the codes thoroughly and applying them correctly during inspections and when performing repairs. The surveyor's advice to seek out training programs specific to fire door inspection and repair led to the professional development of the team member responsible for these tasks, significantly enhancing the facility's compliance posture.

Following this incident, the decision to engage Fire Door Solutions, a company specializing in fire door inspections and repairs, reflects a proactive approach to compliance. By relying on experts, the facility benefitted from efficient, compliant repairs, highlighting the importance of expertise in navigating the specific requirements of fire door maintenance.

This learning moment not only improved the facility's compliance status but also reinforced the value of specialized knowledge and training in facility management. It demonstrates how continuous learning and adaptation are vital for compliance and safety in healthcare facilities, emphasizing the critical role of qualified professionals in upholding safety standards.

Walking through the shipping and receiving dock with the surveyor, I was reminded again of how much can be overlooked in a facility, even one as familiar as this one. The building, having stood for eight years and passed through a handful of surveys already, seemed to embody a certain stability in my mind. It represented a structure that, at a glance, met every code and standard necessary – until it didn’t.

The surveyor paused, looking up at the vast network of ducts and sprinklers crisscrossing above us. He pointed out a significant oversight that none of us had noticed before—a large duct obstructing the potential spray path of the sprinklers. His question was simple yet profound, “If there’s a fire here, how are those sprinklers going to put out the fire?” I felt a moment of realization wash over me when he pointed out that the area underneath this massive duct was essentially unprotected.

He suggested adding a sprinkler beneath the duct to ensure complete coverage. This interaction shifted my perspective entirely. It wasn’t just about compliance; it was about ensuring absolute safety, making sure that every corner of the building, every space under and around installations, was within reach of our safety measures.

From that day forward, every room I entered, I found myself instinctively scanning for these potential blind spots. Where are the sprinkler heads? Are they unobstructed? Do we need an additional one, or perhaps adjust their positioning to ensure comprehensive coverage? This encounter taught me to look beyond the surface, to question and evaluate the efficacy of our safety systems constantly.

Every survey, every conversation with a surveyor or colleague, has become a learning opportunity, a chance to view our facilities through a new lens. Each building has its unique challenges, and this experience has ingrained in me the importance of vigilance and proactive thinking in ensuring life safety. Now, as I move through different buildings, my approach is fundamentally altered. I’m not just checking boxes off a list; I’m actively engaging with the space, ensuring that, should the worst happen, our systems will function precisely as needed to protect lives.

Q5: Given the comprehensive nature of The Joint Commission’s (TJC) surveys, can you share how you prepare your facility and team for these evaluations?

A: Getting my facility and team up to speed for evaluations is a key part of my role, with a strong focus on ensuring all our documentation is precise and comprehensive. On my end, it's about poring over the books, verifying that every Element of Performance (EP) is adequately covered, from fire drill records to the minutiae of water management plans.

For the team, their preparation is more hands-on, guided by assignments I distribute through the work order system. They're tasked with a variety of inspections that are crucial for maintaining our standards:

• Inspecting Fire Extinguishers: Making sure they're accessible and functional, and checking for any damage that could impair their use.
• Checking for Infection Control Risks: Identifying any dents or scrapes on walls that might pose hygiene risks.
• Conducting Risk Assessment Surveys: This involves a thorough inspection of both the interior and exterior of the building to pinpoint potential issues requiring attention before the surveyor's visit.
• Evaluating Biomedical Equipment and Sprinkler Heads: Ensuring that all equipment is current and compliant, and that sprinkler heads are clean and not beyond their service life, which may vary from ten to twenty years.
• Adhering to the 18-Inch Clearance Rule: Verifying that storage practices meet the code's requirements, especially in proximity to sprinkler heads.

My responsibilities also extend to guiding my team through the nuances of what to look for during their inspections. This includes training sessions initiated six months before the survey window opens, focusing on details like ensuring there are no unsealed gaps in firewalls that could undermine their integrity.

This process is exhaustive and demands a keen eye for detail, ensuring both the physical environment and our documentation reflect our ongoing commitment to safety and compliance. It's a concerted effort to not just prepare for the evaluation but to underscore our dedication to upholding the highest standards across our facility.

Emergency Preparedness and Response

Integrating Technology and Community Partnerships

Q6: In what ways do you think technology can be leveraged to enhance emergency communication and response efforts?

A: In emergency situations, like evacuations or active shooter incidents, we often find communication to be a major challenge. Typically, we rely on telephones or panic buttons in hospitals that alert an alarm company, which then contacts emergency services. However, I've experienced a more effective method at one hospital, where an emergency broadcast system enabled us to send out texts directly from a cell phone to police and fire departments for an immediate response. Matching this technology with the specific devices used by emergency services can be tough, since they often use particular brands.

Those of us in emergency management usually have direct contact numbers saved, but front desk staff might not be as familiar. To help, we post emergency numbers and use flip charts for quick reference, training them on who to contact for different emergencies. This blend of new and traditional methods, like wall-posted flip charts, proves effective as long as they're readily available.

Looking forward, I'm hopeful for advancements in communication technology that could provide instant and reliable ways to respond to emergencies. While implementing such technology involves budgeting and consensus-building, I'm excited about the possibilities it holds for enhancing our preparedness and response capabilities.

Q7: How do you incorporate the fire department into your emergency preparedness drills, and what impact does their involvement have on the effectiveness of these exercises?

A: Absolutely, we make it a point to involve the fire department in our vertical evacuation drills, recognizing their pivotal role in such scenarios. Typically, they're the ones navigating the challenges of moving people downstairs, particularly when a fire renders elevators non-operational. In a 10-story building, for instance, evacuating non-ambulatory patients manually down numerous flights of stairs necessitates using specially designed sleds or chairs.

We ensure the fire department is well-acquainted with our evacuation tools, whether sleds or chairs, aiming for them to be as adept at using them as we are. While fire drills are a common practice, the excitement really builds when we invite the fire department to join our evacuation drills. Their enthusiasm is palpable, and they're always keen to participate.

Beyond the drills, we also provide them with specialized training for unique situations like rescuing individuals from stuck elevators, teaching them to safely realign the elevator and facilitate evacuations efficiently. This training offers them a deep dive into hospital operations and our strategic emergency procedures, ensuring they're well-prepared for any situation.

Such collaborations are not only about logistical preparedness but also about nurturing a strong rapport between our team and the fire department, ensuring a seamless response during emergencies. Whether it involves carrying infants to safety or meticulously evacuating a 300-pound patient using evacuation chairs equipped with extra wheels for a smoother descent, these drills are invaluable. Even in my last position at a facility with four stories, practicing with these evacuation chairs was a crucial part of our preparedness strategy.

The energy and camaraderie during these sessions are infectious. The fire department personnel genuinely enjoy these exercises, which are not just learning opportunities but also moments of shared commitment to safety and emergency readiness. It's this spirit of teamwork and dedication that ensures we're all prepared to face emergencies head-on, making these drills both essential and profoundly rewarding.

Budgeting and Financial management for Facilities

Q8: What are some of the challenges you face in budgeting and financial management for facilities, and how do you address them?

A: Working within a for-profit versus a not-for-profit organization can significantly influence budgeting strategies and priorities, especially in facility management. In for-profit organizations, the primary objective is to minimize expenses while maintaining efficiency. My approach in such settings is to enforce a no-deferred maintenance policy. I've found that allowing equipment to deteriorate until it breaks down often leads to more complex and expensive repairs. Instead, regular maintenance helps identify issues before they escalate.

To manage budgets effectively, I conduct semi-annual surveys of all equipment with my lead technician. His expertise is crucial for identifying upcoming maintenance needs, from simple replacements to major repairs. For significant projects, I consult several mechanical contractors for cost estimates on repairs or replacements. Proactive planning is essential regardless of the organization's profit orientation, although for-profit entities tend to be more restrictive with budget allocations.

In not-for-profit organizations, budgeting for maintenance involves categorizing needs based on urgency and importance to patient safety and comfort. Critical needs, labeled as category one, are prioritized in the budget to ensure they're addressed promptly. Subsequent categories indicate decreasing levels of urgency, helping us plan for future expenditures while maximizing the impact of available funds. This structured approach allows for better allocation of resources, ensuring critical infrastructure and equipment are maintained to support the organization's mission.

For managing maintenance and repairs in a not-for-profit organization, the categorization can be broken down as follows:

1. Category One: Critical needs that must be addressed immediately to ensure patient safety, comfort, and essential operational continuity. These are top-priority items that cannot be deferred without risking significant impact on the organization's core functions.

2. Category Two: Important needs that are not immediately critical but should be monitored closely. These items may last another year but require planning for potential repairs or replacements soon to avoid escalation into more urgent problems.

3. Category Three: Less urgent needs that involve maintenance or repairs which can be planned for and executed as budget allows. These are not critical to immediate operations and can be scheduled based on priority and available resources.

4. Category Four: Non-urgent needs that include long-term maintenance, upgrades, and improvements. These projects are considered enhancements rather than necessities and are often scheduled based on strategic planning and budget availability.

This structured approach ensures that resources are allocated efficiently, focusing first on maintaining safety and operational integrity before addressing less critical maintenance and improvement projects.

Upgrading the television cabling system for better patient comfort and satisfaction could fall into Category Two. This category prioritizes improvements that directly impact patient experience, albeit not as urgently as Category One needs, which are critical for safety and essential operations.

The budgeting strategy, applicable to both non-profit and for-profit organizations, involves prioritizing expenditures based on a detailed categorization of needs. While a few of the top-priority (Category One) items are typically funded, some Category Two items, like the TV cabling system important for patient satisfaction, may also receive funding due to their direct impact on the patient experience.

Category Four includes projects that are on the radar for future consideration. These might not be urgent now but could become more important over time. They're monitored for potential escalation in priority based on evolving needs or unexpected failures.

Effective budget preparation extends beyond immediate needs, incorporating a 1-year, 5-year, and 10-year forecast. This long-term planning involves listing equipment and infrastructure with their expected lifecycle to anticipate replacements or major repairs. The goal is to communicate clearly with administration and board members about potential future expenditures, even those not anticipated to arise immediately. By keeping them informed about possible future needs and the rationale behind these projections, it facilitates better preparation and comfort with financial planning, ensuring that when unexpected expenses occur, they are less likely to cause alarm or budgetary panic.

Q9: Can you provide tips or strategies for effectively reducing costs while maintaining high-quality facilities operations?

A: Every piece of equipment comes with an owner's manual that includes a maintenance schedule. We take this information and input it into our work order system, which organizes and automates preventive maintenance (PM) tasks. This means if a task needs to be done quarterly, the system reminds us of it every three months, and if it's semi-annual, we get a reminder every six months.

We apply this method to all equipment, ensuring each item is maintained in top condition. This includes checking electrical outlets with a special tool annually to ensure safety. This tool tests the outlet's grounding and retention strength, critical for equipment like respirators, where a loose connection could be life-threatening.

Our work order system encompasses a vast array of maintenance tasks, from testing sprinkler systems to servicing ice machines quarterly to prevent mold or mildew buildup due to their heavy use. We also perform annual checks on medical gases—vacuum, CO2, and medical air—to ensure they're functioning correctly. Nurses and RNAs are trained to report any malfunctions immediately, adding to the system's effectiveness.

In short, our comprehensive work order system allows us to maintain the integrity and safety of all our equipment, directly contributing to patient care and safety. It's an extensive but crucial process.

Facility Design and User Experience

Q10: Are there any design principles or considerations you prioritize to enhance the functionality and aesthetics of your facilities?

A: When we undertake a remodeling project, the first step involves assessing the space and consulting with the staff who will use it. We aim to tailor the design for maximum efficiency and functionality according to their needs. However, we have a rule due to past experiences: any setup requested must remain in place for at least six months before any changes are considered.

This policy came about because of frequent requests to move items like hand sanitizers. One nurse might prefer it on one side of the bed, leading us to move it, only for another nurse to request it be moved back the following week. This resulted in unnecessary work, patching and painting walls repeatedly.

To address this, we now require that any requests for changes go through the director of the respective unit. The initial placement, decided by the director with team consensus, is where the item stays. If changes are needed after six months, the director’s approval is necessary. This approach has helped streamline our remodeling process, ensuring decisions are more deliberate and reducing the back-and-forth adjustments.

When it comes to remodeling and design, the process is collaborative from start to finish. Initially, architects and engineers might draft the big-picture designs, but we always refine these plans with input from key stakeholders like administration, nurse leaders, and various department heads. This hands-on feedback is crucial; for instance, if a nurse station’s placement restricts visibility into patient rooms, we adjust it based on staff suggestions to ensure optimal patient monitoring.

It’s a practice born out of necessity; my team was spending too much time on minor adjustments like relocating hand sanitizers upon request. By involving everyone early on, from the AVS director responsible for room maintenance to the bio mat team managing medical equipment, we significantly reduce redundant tasks. This comprehensive approach ensures the space meets the practical needs of those who use it daily.

Once we consolidate everyone's feedback and finalize the design, I will move forward with the bidding process. I issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) to several contractors to gauge project costs. Contrary to what one might expect, the decision doesn’t always hinge on the lowest bid. Our focus remains on value and efficiency, ensuring we undertake renovations that are both practical for our staff and comfortable for our patients.

When we're setting up essentials like gases, hand sanitizers, vacuums, etc., we prioritize the input from those who'll use the space daily. They reach a consensus, which is then approved by the director. Once agreed upon, any setup cannot be altered for another six months to ensure stability and minimize constant changes.

This approach significantly reduces unnecessary adjustments. However, it's important to note that all modifications and installations comply with strict building codes, especially the IFMA standards, and other regulatory requirements critical in healthcare settings. We often engage contractors, architects, and engineers experienced in healthcare to ensure adherence to these stringent rules, including life safety codes, equipment clearances, and emergency lighting in critical areas like surgery rooms.

Professional Development in Facilities Management

Advancing Careers through Learning and Skills Development

Q11: What advice would you give to individuals looking to advance their career in facilities management?

A: Education is key, and I'm not just talking about formal university degrees. There are online courses available at a low cost that can significantly boost your career in facilities management. These courses cover everything from the basics to more advanced topics, structured in a way that builds up your knowledge step by step.

To illustrate, there was this younger guy at my last job eager to progress in his career. He was excellent in construction but knew little about other crucial aspects like medical gases or fire alarm systems. The first course I directed him to was for Med Gas certification. He was amazed by how complex the subject was, which was precisely why I started him there. Next up were courses on fire systems, sprinkler systems, and the importance of regular fire extinguisher checks. This foundational knowledge was essential before moving on to higher-level facilities management classes, which included all these topics in their examinations.

I always emphasize the value of hands-on learning alongside formal education. Whenever there's a chance, I encourage team members to shadow experts within our team, like those specializing in life safety. Practical experience complements theoretical knowledge beautifully. I personally learn best by doing—show me how to do something, and I'll remember it forever. Reading from a book? I might retain 30% of that information at best. Most of our facilities guys are the same; they prefer to learn through direct experience, dismantling and reassembling, rather than merely reading about it.

This educational approach, combining formal courses with mentoring and hands-on training, is what I advocate for anyone looking to advance in facilities management. It's about building a comprehensive understanding through both theory and practice.

I often share with my team what I'm working on to give them a glimpse into the role's demands, especially the surprising amount of paperwork involved—it takes up about 70% of my day. This role carries heavy responsibility, requiring someone who can juggle multiple tasks and be on call 24/7. When emergencies arise, they look to you for guidance. It's a real test of commitment.

To prevent overwhelming them, I introduce responsibilities gradually. We have time for training, so I emphasize taking it slow, focusing on education and hands-on learning without rushing. This approach helps them gauge whether they're up for the challenge. Some realize it's not for them, while others thrive and even advance to director positions.

In my career, I've successfully guided three individuals to director roles. One standout example is a friend who became the Director of Facilities at Loma Linda University, overseeing over 3 million square feet. He started as an HVAC technician. Through mentorship and educational initiatives, he grew into the role. When a managerial position opened, I advocated for him. Despite initial skepticism from my boss, his interview performance convinced her and others that he was the right choice. His promotion to manager, and later to director after I left, was a testament to his capabilities and the effectiveness of gradually acclimating team members to the role's demands.

The high cost of construction within hospitals reflects the industry being the second most regulated after nuclear power. Compliance with numerous codes explains why building or remodeling in healthcare settings can be so expensive, sometimes reaching up to $800 per square foot or even $1,200 for specialized facilities like surgical centers. For comparison, residential construction costs have also risen but remain significantly lower. Flooring alone can illustrate the variation in costs, ranging from less than a dollar to several dollars per square foot, based on quality and specifications. This variance in pricing underscores the complexities and financial implications of hospital construction and remodeling projects, given the regulatory environment and the need for precision and safety in every detail.

Q12: Can you highlight some professional development opportunities or essential skills that have contributed to your success in facilities management?

A: One of my major challenges was obtaining my Certified Healthcare Facility Management certificate from the American Hospital Association. Initially, I entered management confident in my knowledge, but failing the certification exam by just two points was a wake-up call. It revealed gaps in my understanding that I hadn't recognized. This setback kickstarted my mentorship with my then-director, an individual with a remarkable background including a doctorate and a stint as CEO for Brigham Young University. He had downshifted his career to support his wife's aspirations, offering me a unique learning opportunity.

Over time, I realized the depth of knowledge required for the facility manager role. After two unsuccessful attempts, I finally passed the certification exam on my third try, by then with 12 years of experience to my credit. This certification is highly valued in the healthcare sector, often listed as a preferred qualification in job descriptions for directors of facilities.

My journey taught me the irreplaceable value of continuous education. To maintain the CHFM certification, one must complete 47 hours of education every three years, a requirement that underscores the importance of ongoing learning. This experience has made me a proponent of never halting your educational endeavors. Continuous learning not only broadens your understanding and troubleshooting skills but also provides a competitive edge in your career.

Through years of proactive pursuit of education, I've accumulated numerous certifications, each enhancing my proficiency and ability to provide well-informed answers. These experiences affirm the belief that education is the best tool for advancement and improvement in any profession. If you're passionate about your work, investing in your education is essential.