An acute care community teaching hospital and regional healthcare center situated in Pittsfield, Mass., BMC sought a formal process for gathering, maintaining and analyzing facility condition information across its three campuses, which include clinical buildings, office buildings, storage facilities and patient visiting centers, totaling approximately one million square feet. Prior to working with VFA, data regarding facility conditions was stored in disparate databases, making it difficult to anticipate maintenance needs, develop capital budgets and plan for renovations. The medical center will use VFA’s integrated solution to determine how to optimally allocate its limited funding dollars and implement a disciplined, unified approach to facilities assessments and capital planning.

BMC purchased VFA’s solution while undergoing a $40 million facilities expansion and renovation project. In addition to a detailed facility condition assessment on its 13 buildings, BMC contracted VFA to evaluate and commission the new mechanical systems related to this recent renovation. Post renovation, VFA’s solution will help BMC determine future facilities and infrastructure requirements and prioritize capital project initiatives to best support its comprehensive facilities master plan.

“Using VFA’s solution, we now have a systematic approach to capital asset planning and management and can proactively address and plan for facility needs,” said Thomas Romeo, vice president of operations, Berkshire Medical Center. “With the combination of assessment services and VFA.facility software, we can determine the ‘payback’ on facilities improvements and how future capital expenditures will affect the long-term value, use and life of our buildings. We now have the data we need to help determine whether our facilities satisfy current functional requirements and whether they will hold up to support our future objectives and clinical programs.”

“Well-maintained facilities enable hospitals to deliver optimal healthcare services and ensure that the physical environment is equipped to support both patients and service providers,” said Jerry Kokos, president and CEO of VFA. “Berkshire Medical Center’s selection of VFA software and services validates our integrated approach to capital planning and demonstrates the growing level of importance healthcare organizations now attribute to their physical assets.”