The cost of operations, maintenance and management of a healthcare facility can run up to 85 percent of a building’s total life-cycle costs, but building information modeling (BIM) and other analytical tools can help to control costs and help buildings to run more efficiently, according to an article on the Health Facilities Management website. 

While BIM typically is known for its design and construction applications, it also is starting to play a role in building management and operations.

BIM is valuable for calculating square footage precisely and in half the time of other methods, the article said. That information is critical for determining Medicare and Medicaid reimbursements and each department’s share of those funds.

BIM can also be useful for managing hospitals designed with the software, because it is populated with data from the building model used for the design. BIM can then track, manage and control building systems ranging from mechanical equipment to door locks to lighting, the article said.

Read the article.