The Challenge
Quorum Health had been managing its biomedical assets with an older system that was only compatible with Internet Explorer. Since Internet Explorer would no longer be supported after July 2022, Quorum needed a new solution as soon as possible.
Rather than simply finding a modern system that would manage biomedical assets, Quorum Health wanted a system that would also manage facilities maintenance work orders and other tasks. “We currently use multiple solutions, and it can get overwhelming,” says Eddie Brannon, biomedical program manager at Quorum Health. “We needed something that would meet the needs of biomedical and facilities and could eventually add on other programs.”
In addition to adopting a solution that would perform on modern web interfaces, Brannon also wanted a system that would “get the guys out of the shop,” he says. Traditionally, technicians had to spend a great deal of time at their desks, entering work orders and updating work order progress. They needed a management system that would allow for real-time updates that could be accessed and entered in the field rather than only from the maintenance shop computers.
Our Approach
The Brightly team implemented its computerized maintenance management system (CMMS), TheWorxHub, to streamline Quorum Health’s work order processing capabilities for both its biomedical programs and facilities maintenance programs. The implementation included personal training, links to detailed information and instructions, and on-call help desk available to answer questions. To help employees who are not as technically savvy, Brannon downloaded all PDFs from the online help pages and compiled them into a printable instruction booklet.
The Results
As he reviewed potential software programs, Brannon recorded each vendor presentation and sent it out to on-site technicians. He included polls for them to rate the various products under review, and received feedback from a number of plant operations directors and biomedical managers. When it was time to make a decision, Brannon asked his team from across the company to vote on the system they preferred. Out of 42 responses, 40 voted for Brightly.
“Our technicians fell in love with the mobile app,” Brannon says. “And they’ve been pleased with the results. The feedback we’ve received so far has been wonderful.”
Facility technicians and biomedical technicians are now able to conduct all their business in the field from a mobile device, including entering work orders, monitoring progress and viewing needs across the facility. “If a technician completes a work order in the ICU, they can now look at their smartphone before they leave and if another work order for the ICU has been submitted, they can handle it while they’re already there,” Brannon says. “Before, they would have to walk all the way back to the shop before they’d realize they have to go back to the ICU. We’re getting more work done in a shorter time period.”
Personally, Brannon says the new software implementation has simplified his own workload. Previously, he was contacted almost daily to make additions, changes and deletions to employees on the system. TheWorxHub allows plant operations directors and administrative assistants to add, edit and update employees, freeing Brannon to focus on other tasks. “I haven’t had a single call about adding and updating employees since we implemented the system on August 1,” he says.
Moving forward, Quorum Health plans to continue adding on capabilities to TheWorxHub to further streamline operations, Brannon says. Next, the team plans to roll in facility condition assessments and environmental services. “Eventually, we want to include anything that has to do with capital planning, facility condition assessments, infrastructure and facilities, to have all of those in one program,” he says.
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Results
Quorum Health voted to select the best CMMS for their facilities and TheWorxHub™ by Brightly won. Quorum Health is now able to:
- Provide technicians with more time in the field vs. the computer
- Streamline work order maintenance
- Simplify reporting with intuitive systems
- Gain real-time visibility into preventive maintenance
Vitals
• 21 hospitals including 1,914 beds
• Hundreds of buildings including hospitals and satellite locations
• 44 biomedical technicians and 120 facilities technicians