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We’ve talked before about the enduring partnership between our EcoXpert™ partner Future Controls, Inc., and Watson Clinic LLP, and how their 15-year relationship has aided Watson Clinic in continuing to provide excellence for their patients. But the Watson Clinic case study isn’t just a great example of a successful and long-standing partnership. It’s also a resounding success story for EcoStruxure for Healthcare, an integrative IoT platform that’s creating smarter, more efficient hospitals. The Watson Clinic has been upgrading from their legacy TAC/INET™ solution to the cutting-edge building management system (BMS), EcoStruxure Building Operation (formerly known as SmartStruxure), and they’re already reaping the rewards.
Increasing Operational Efficiency
EcoStruxure for Healthcare has helped Watson Clinic make great strides in their operational efficiency. An electronic work order system has streamlined the way that the buildings’ support and repairs are managed, significantly easing the burden on facilities staff. Director of Facilities, Gary Picklesimer, has seen his workload decrease because of the integrative solution—while he used to receive over 50 calls per day about heating and cooling issues, he now averages only 2 per week!
In addition, as Picklesimer explains, the building management system has made regulatory compliance much easier as well. Regulatory agencies often require detailed and extensive documentation of factors such as the temperature that prescription drugs are stored in. The integrated EcoStruxure platform makes capturing and recording that data a simple, effortless process.
And of course, the EcoStruxure platform has also contributed to a significant improvement in energy efficiency, which reduces both the clinic’s energy costs and their environmental impact. In fact, in the main building alone, the clinic has seen their electric bills decrease by $150K per year, and they expect those savings to continue for the next 10 years.
Strengthening Patient Satisfaction and Ensuring Patient Safety
Despite these incredible strides, energy efficiency is only fourth on the Watson Clinic’s priority list. As they have begun to integrate EcoStruxure for Healthcare, the solution has also proved essential to their amazing work toward their first priority – patient comfort and satisfaction. Newly-installed individual thermostats allow the clinic’s doctors to adjust the temperature as necessary, allowing for local climate control. This high level of personalization provides the comfort of home, leading to happier patients and an improved hospital experience.
Building automation has even improved patient safety. In the clinic’s operating room (OR), changes in air pressure are tightly monitored, as air changes could impact a patient’s likelihood to contract an infection. As part of their building management system, they now have an automated infrastructure that monitors the air in the OR, and provides a system of green and yellow lights to immediately notify doctors and nurses if there’s an issue, so they can alert maintenance staff right away to adjust the environment accordingly. And because, as Picklesimer explains, “the system is extremely reliable, even through electrical storms,” doctors can continue their work secure in the knowledge that no matter what happens, they can rely on the BMS to keep their patients safe.
The Watson Clinic’s partnership with Future Controls has allowed them to maintain their standards of excellence in medical care, while simultaneously expanding their practice and drastically increasing their efficiency – a truly impressive feat. And as the clinic continues to expand and strive toward even higher standards, EcoStruxure for Healthcare is already playing an integral role in their work. We’re excited to see where it will take them next.
Interested in learning more about our work with Watson Clinic or EcoStruxure for Healthcare? Download the full Watson Clinic case study and discover more about EcoStruxure for Healthcare.
