While we can track the earliest use of computerized maintenance management systems (CMMS) to the 1960s, advancements over the last few decades have made it easier for facilities and technology management teams to capture more data and details about what’s happening across buildings and equipment, and why. In doing so, CMMS software has opened the doors for deeper data analysis and informed decisions with key insight that were previously not available.
However, as much as the advancements of CMMS have supported the growth and performance of healthcare facilities management (HFM) and healthcare technology management (HTM) in hospital environments, it has not been without challenges for some users.
Today’s teams face constraints from staffing to budgets, which can result in a request for team members to do more – and more tasks that are outside of their typical responsibilities. For example, technicians’ day-to-day tasks have shifted from being focused on maintaining facilities and repairing equipment to being tasked with updating systems to provide information about assets and facilities. This means that technicians are typically tasked with the bulk of data entry in addition to the work they are doing when they have one main goal in front of them: maintain and optimize equipment and buildings.
Recent advancements in mobile work order management simplifies the need for more data for tracking and reporting. But, there’s also a benefit in helping improve adoption among technicians. Making it easier for technicians to get the work done while tracking the information helps to inform bigger decisions within the hospital, from preventive maintenance schedules to capital planning priorities.
As mobile apps gained popularity in the market, they were focused on replicating the functionality in the desktop application. But, times have changed – and it’s been shown that users typically use mobile applications differently than their desktop versions.
For CMMS in the healthcare space, a mobile app built for work order management on the go allows HFM and HTM professionals to easily manage the data capture requirement of their job.
After all, mobile work order management requires a focus on getting in and out – quickly. This means fewer screens and less clicks support technicians in balancing the need to share more information without causing issues with their productivity. To meet this changing dynamic within the industry, FSI recently launched a mobile application, Inbox, to simplify how technicians complete work orders on the go.
With the ability to see exactly what’s on their task list for the day, technicians can focus on what matters most for them – and rely on the desktop version of the application for a deeper look at key information or details required for the work order.
Beyond the ability to see work orders in an email-like interface, technicians have the option to sort work orders to support how they like to manage their day. Once they access a work order, the time to enter essential details – like work order information, time, and additional notes – takes seconds.
As more fields and requests for information are added to work orders, the amount of time to complete work orders increases.
Sometimes, these fields may be asking for similar information in a different way – and they are more likely to be skipped or filled with bad data, which doesn’t provide more insight into what’s happening across assets and facilities. For technicians, this can be a drain on their productivity (and patience).
To simplify mobile work order management, using automated workflows – like Flow from FSI – can help to fill these necessary fields without requiring more actions from technicians.
For instance, the workflow can automatically update a field in the background based on information that a technician enters in another field. Let’s say that the work order includes a field to know which room a piece of equipment was in when it was serviced. There may be additional fields that require more information on the location – like which department, wing, or floor of the hospital.
With the room information, the other location details can be filled in automatically in the background via an automated workflow – meaning the technician can focus on filling in the more important details around the maintenance for the equipment.
Hospital facilities and asset management teams typically have several different software solutions that help them get the job done. This doesn’t include solutions that are used by other departments within the facility that share data between systems.
When it comes to mobile work order management, this can add complexity. Sometimes, it requires more data – or for data to be reported in a different way. FSI, for instance, has a Public API. The API makes it easy for teams to integrate various software solutions together to create a single source of truth within the CMMS.
ServiceNow, for instance, may be used by different teams within the organization. With an integration with FSI’s CMMS, incidents and cases reported within ServiceNow can then be automatically created as work orders within the CMMS. In doing so, these can be pushed to technicians in the field via Inbox so that they can respond to the issues quickly. And all of this can be done automatically – with no manual work required from any member of the team.
Other key integrations, like real-time tracking systems, can help improve productivity for technicians so they know exactly where they are going and why. Mobile work order management requires teams to be nimble and responsive, and that requires having the right details in front of them to address issues as they arise.
From resource and budget constraints to a shifting demographic in the workforce, healthcare facilities and asset management faces a shift. Technology can help support these changing dynamics by providing resources.
The result? The ability to do less with less – meaning technology can automate and simplify processes to help reduce the challenges that these constraints and shifts may cause.
Interested in learning more? Request a Demo from FSI.