Insights from Dennis Ford and Mike Hatton on workforce, technology, regulation, and the evolving role of healthcare facilities management
Looking Ahead: A Turning Point for Healthcare Facilities
Healthcare facilities management is entering a period of accelerated change. Workforce shortages, aging infrastructure, regulatory pressure, and emerging technologies are converging at the same time—forcing healthcare organizations to rethink how facilities teams operate, prioritize, and lead.
In a recent conversation on the Healthcare Facilities Network, two long‑time industry leaders—Dennis Ford and Mike Hatton—shared candid perspectives on what they see ahead for healthcare facilities and why the profession must evolve to remain effective, relevant, and resilient.
From Maintenance to Mission-Critical Leadership
Both leaders emphasized that healthcare facilities management is no longer a behind‑the‑scenes function. Facilities teams now sit at the intersection of patient safety, operational reliability, regulatory compliance, and financial stewardship.
The role has expanded far beyond fixing equipment or managing work orders. Today’s facilities leaders must understand infrastructure risk, emergency preparedness, construction integration, and how facilities decisions directly impact clinical operations.
As Mike Hatton noted, facilities professionals have become generalists with specialized expertise—expected to manage everything from aging mechanical systems to major capital projects, often at the same time.
Workforce Reality: Experience Is Retiring Faster Than It’s Being Replaced
A major concern raised during the discussion was the accelerating loss of institutional knowledge. Many of the most experienced facilities professionals are nearing retirement, while fewer younger workers are entering the field.
Dennis Ford highlighted that healthcare facilities management remains largely invisible as a career path, despite offering stability, advancement, and meaningful impact. Without deliberate efforts to attract, educate, and mentor the next generation, organizations risk widening skills gaps at the worst possible moment.
Equally important is how new professionals are trained. Both leaders stressed that technical skills alone are no longer enough—communication, facilitation, and leadership skills are now essential for success in healthcare environments.
Technology, AI, and the Foundation Problem
Artificial intelligence, digital twins, and advanced analytics are frequently discussed as the future of healthcare facilities—but Ford and Hatton offered a cautionary perspective.
Technology only delivers value when built on clean, standardized data. Many healthcare organizations still lack complete asset inventories, consistent nomenclature, or reliable CMMS foundations. Without those basics, AI simply accelerates poor decisions.
Dennis Ford described the CMMS as the electronic medical record for the hospital itself. Until facilities teams invest in accurate asset data and risk‑based frameworks, advanced technology will remain out of reach—or worse, misleading.
Breaking the PDC–Facilities Divide
One of the most persistent challenges discussed was the disconnect between planning, design, and construction (PDC) and facilities operations.
When facilities teams are not embedded early in capital projects, hospitals often open new buildings with missing data, incomplete maintenance strategies, and long‑term operational risk baked in from day one.
Both leaders argued that many deferred maintenance and reliability issues could be avoided through a more integrated lifecycle approach—where facilities operations help shape design decisions, asset selections, and handoff requirements.
Reducing Regulatory Burden Without Reducing Safety
Another major theme was regulatory burden. Ford and Hatton acknowledged the importance of compliance, but challenged the industry to distinguish between tasks that truly improve safety and those that persist simply because they always have.
Outdated interpretations and low‑value requirements consume enormous time and resources, diverting attention from higher‑risk issues. Advocacy, they argued, must focus on modernizing standards so facilities teams can prioritize evidence‑based risk management rather than rote task completion.
Emergency Preparedness and System Resilience
Healthcare facilities leaders must also plan for increasingly complex emergencies—from natural disasters to infrastructure failures. Ford emphasized that emergency preparedness cannot rely on a few experienced individuals who have “been through it before.”
Organizations need standardized approaches, clear playbooks, and ongoing training to ensure readiness across the entire facilities workforce—especially as experience levels change.
The Healthcare Facilities Network Perspective
The future of healthcare facilities management will be shaped by leaders who are willing to challenge legacy thinking while protecting what matters most: patient safety and operational reliability.
Ford and Hatton’s outlook points to a profession that is becoming more strategic, more data‑driven, and more integrated with the broader healthcare mission. Success will require stronger collaboration, smarter use of technology, intentional workforce development, and a willingness to eliminate work that no longer adds value.
Healthcare facilities teams that embrace these changes will not only keep pace—they will lead.
Tom Grice
Vice President, Regulatory & Facilities
