Issue link: https://www.e-digitaleditions.com/i/1255991
July/August/September 2020 I 57 Are there specific messages that the hospital wants generated automatically? For instance, when a baby is born, do the parents want the hospital to play Brahms' Lullaby quietly rather than announcing the birth of the baby? If there is a baby abduction, does the maternity ward want an alarm sounded or a coded message, which is similar to a code blue that heightens the staff's aware- ness without disrupting others? There are so many options to consider when communicating information. In addi- tion to what is to be communicated, it is important to know how to communicate the information and exactly who are the intended recipients. Overhead paging systems are one of the most effective ways to give instantaneous information in real time. to mount speakers, and concrete walls through which infrastructure must be routed. After a site survey is conducted, an important part of a project's initial bid process is for the designer and client to formally document a detailed scope of work (SOW). Unstated customer expectations can quickly lead to dissatisfaction and expensive cost overruns. Detail the customer's expectations and where the designer's and installer's responsibilities begin and end. Remember, while installing, the customer is thinking. Failure to define an SOW upfront could result in the customer's expecta- tions growing in proportion to install time. It is important to note that performing work in many hospitals requires additional infection control procedures and training, adding to the overall cost of the installation. Most hospitals and healthcare facilities require installers to complete a training orientation for infectious disease control risks. There are strict rules that apply during the installation process that must comply with Infectious Control Risk Assessment (ICRA) procedures. For exam- ple, containment cards may be required when opening existing ceiling tiles. For more detailed information about ICRA compliance, designers and installers should refer to Appendix A of ANSI/BICSI 004-2018, Information Com- munication Technology Systems Design and Implementation Best Practices for Healthcare Institutions and Facilities. Do not firmly commit to reusing any existing infra- structure or equipment without a caveat of "if compatible and in good condition." Agree to a process of change orders should the customer expand expectations or if site conditions that warrant additional changes are not as described in the SOW. Site access is closely related to defining the SOW. Agree upon times when the contracted work can be per- formed. Oftentimes, the best time to work is after a site's regular business hours; however, work related areas may be locked at these times. Pre-negotiate unrestricted access to all areas involved in the SOW. Having technicians wait for a security guard or custodian to open a locked room is never a profitable situation. Best practices are the result of experience. Experience? Well, that is the result of bad practices! Experienced inte- grators know that the best way to avoid or minimize trou- bleshooting time and effort is to take the time to neatly When designing a mass communication system, all possible zones needed must be considered. An all call zone is needed for emergencies that need to be communicated to all locations quickly and in real time. The designer will need a paging zone for each of the hospital departments (e.g., emergency, surgical, pharmacy, shipping, receiving), general wards, staffing stations, doctor's offices, adminis- trative offices, patient and guest services (e.g., cafeteria, laundry) and other major locations specific to various hospitals. Additionally, the designer may want to group departments together as additional zoning possibilities (e.g., shipping and receiving). Whenever possible, conduct an on-site survey of the intended jobsite. An ideal time to visit is when the site is fully operational so that accurate noise level and activ- ity data from the site can be gathered. Site surveys can provide vital details that request for proposals (RFPs) cannot. Request for proposals do not typically advise on costly accessibility challenges, such as asbestos laden ceilings, heavy room furnishings that must be moved to complete work that require a rented scissor lift