Enhancing Healthcare Infrastructure with Accurate Piping Documentation
The Challenge
A prominent healthcare network in the Midwest, comprising multiple clinics and hospitals, faced substantial operational and compliance challenges due to outdated piping diagrams. Over the years, the network expanded significantly, integrating new facilities with older infrastructure. This rapid growth led
to a patchwork of incomplete and unreliable piping schematics, which made it increasingly difficult for maintenance teams to perform their duties efficiently.
The outdated diagrams caused delays in locating critical valves and tracing pipes during routine maintenance and emergency repairs. This inefficiency not only escalated labor costs but also increased the risk of non-compliance with health and safety regulations. The healthcare network recognized that the lack of accurate documentation could potentially lead to severe disruptions in patient care and sought a comprehensive solution to address these vulnerabilities.
“We had significant ongoing staff costs from tracking down unknown valve locations and sorting out unlabeled piping systems for projects ranging from maintenance to major wing expansion planning.” – Clinic Facility Manager
The Solution
HydroCorp was brought in to tackle the complex challenge of overhauling the healthcare network’s piping documentation. The team began with a thorough on-site survey of the entire water and medical gas piping systems, covering the legacy infrastructure and newer expansions. During this survey, the team meticulously documented every valve, dead leg, and connection point.
The resulting as-built piping schematics were both highly detailed and user-friendly, enabling all staff and external contractors to quickly navigate the piping system and locate critical components. HydroCorp also provided training to facility staff, fully equipping them to use the new schematics effectively. What was once a cumbersome and error-prone process became a streamlined and efficient operation.
The new documentation also laid the groundwork for long-term operational efficiency. The new system empowered the facility’s teams, reduced contractor labor costs, and positioned the network to maintain compliance with industry regulations.
With HydroCorp’s system in place, the healthcare network is equipped to maintain compliance and safety across all facilities.
The Result
The implementation of HydroCorp’s piping schematic system delivered measurable benefits across the healthcare network. Over 1,000 valve locations were documented, saving 200 hours of labor each month, significantly reducing maintenance costs, and improving operational efficiency. Maintenance teams could now easily locate and address issues, reducing downtime and ensuring critical systems remained fully
operational.
These results helped to justify further investment in updating piping schematics across the entire healthcare network. The improved accuracy and reliability of the schematics ensured the network remained in full compliance with health and safety regulations, mitigating the risk of costly penalties and enhancing overall safety.
The successful collaboration with HydroCorp positioned the healthcare network as a model for infrastructure management, demonstrating the value of investing in precise and reliable documentation to support ongoing operational excellence.
