Accruent has upgraded its Connectiv healthcare technology management (HTM) platform to better integrate with real-time location systems (RTLS) and Internet of Things device security providers. These enhancements will improve the safety and availability of devices, enhance tracking of equipment, and assist healthcare organizations in understanding device utilization, Accruent officials say.

Specifically, Connectiv enables healthcare biomedical and facilities teams to better manage connected devices and equipment, enabling more informed capital planning and improved operational efficiency, company officials say. In turn, better financial and operations management can improve the delivery of care, drive out costs, and ensure compliance with the Joint Commission and DNV GL standards.

According to a Moody’s Investor’s Service analysis, operating margins for hospitals have fallen to an all-time low of 1.6%. Hospital biomedical and facility support departments continue to be asked to do more with less. At the same time, patient care is being delivered with increasingly sophisticated, connected medical devices. Unfortunately, this has made the healthcare industry the new No.1 target for hackers. In fact, according to a report from global cybersecurity insurer Beazley, 37% of ransomware attacks during 2018 were perpetrated against healthcare organizations and devices.

Legacy and generic computerized maintenance management systems struggle to keep pace with the complexity and the industry-specific regulations facing healthcare organizations. However, because the Connectiv platform was designed for healthcare organizations, it delivers device management functionality, configurable workflows, and security features that are optimized for the healthcare environment—both physical and regulatory, Accurent officials say.

Further, Connectiv enables organizations to:

  • Build workflows with a configurable rules engine—without code or Structured Query Language—to ensure operational quality standards and compliance
  • Better manage maintenance work to reduce unnecessary labor, overtime, and service contract costs
  • Perform all work functions in the field (on and offline) from any mobile device
  • Improve communication between departments
  • Automate the parts procurement process with vendors—like GE Service Shop—from within the work order
  • Proactively secure medical devices and protect against cyber threats

Connecting device management software with security, alerts, and parts ordering improves maintenance productivity by reducing administrative time. “Because of the GE Healthcare Service Shop integration with Connectiv, we identify and purchase parts more quickly, easily, and accurately from within the work order,” observes Robert Bundick, director of biomedical engineering, ProHealth Care. “Our engineers can order parts sooner and spend more time focused on equipment maintenance.”