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ZGT is happy to participate on the front line when it comes to innovative technologies for patient-oriented and more efficient working - distinctive themes in the healthcare sector. This is also the case with the ZGT regional hospital in Almelo. ZGT frequently uses Winkels Techniek to install electrical engineering and IT because of their expertise in hospitals.

Renovation and new construction

Winkels Techniek is currently (March 2016) helping with work on as many as three construction projects at the hospital in Almelo. In addition to setting up an intensive care unit that is 1,500 m2, two wings are also being built. This is where the geriatric department is supposed to be at the end of 2016. Furthermore, the birth care department is being expand to include another eight birthing rooms, in addition to the eight recently completed birthing rooms. 

Birth care

“The most important reasons for the construction projects are modernisation and capacity expansion,” said Fred Braker from ZGT. As an intensive-care nurse with a technical background, he is involved in the renovation at ZGT Almelo. “This department in Almelo has grown immensely and uncontrollably because we also recently took over the birth care for the hospital in Hengelo.”

New intensive care

The modernisation of the intensive care unit is necessary in order to meet increasingly stringent standards in terms of efficiency and patient-oriented work. “We have been working towards this by creating squares and the new intensive care unit will have 16 single isolation rooms with a view of outside. Private rooms with natural light allow patients to get more rest. This also means we can reduce the risk of infection,” said Braker.

Challenge

Additional walls had to be built to ensure the building’s solidity as a load-bearing wall had to be broken through. Furthermore, the ceiling had to be strengthened with adhesive reinforcements in order to bear all the fixtures and pendants. All this meant Winkels Techniek was faced with unexpected challenges.

Winkels was able to react quickly and was flexible with adjusting its schedule.

Braker: “Naturally these modifications had an impact on the installation technology. Winkels was able to react to them quickly and was flexible with adjusting its schedule. This meant work could continue smoothly without the project being delayed.”

Trust

Winkels Techniek has over 50 years’ experience with hospitals. In recent times, they have performed projects (and/or projects are still in progress) for hospitals on the ABC islands (Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao) and for Dutch hospitals such as MST and SKB. Winkels Techniek recently provided ZGT with installations for the pain clinic department (Hengelo), maintenance of the laboratory, radiology rooms and angiography room.

Ingrid de Vuijst, team leader at Winkels Techniek, believes that trust and satisfaction play important roles. “We try to stay on the ball in our collaboration. We achieve this by, for example, conducting regular tailor-made evaluations and management reports. But also by deploying the right personnel - people who know how to deal with the customer's customer.”

Communication

Braker underlines the importance of correct and timely communication. “We look strictly at how engineers behave and how good they are at interacting with people in the hospital. Such a renovation requires a lot of our patients and staff. And acting ethically is certainly very important in an intensive care unit.” 

Winkels deploys appropriate individuals who know how to work in hospitals.

“Winkels deploys appropriate individuals who know how to work in hospitals. For example, where to drill and cut and where not to. And by clearly defining the work area with leaves on the door. We are satisfied with how Winkels deals with this,” expresses Braker.

Ad hoc changes

During implementation it often occurs that details deviate from the drawing. Braker: “For example, with the placement of sockets. We have a great deal of contact with Winkels during the implementation; they are always willing to adapt to ad hoc changes. They got involved and helped to come up with quick solutions for the intensive care unit.”

Ingrid de Vuijst joined in: “We try to be transparent in construction meetings. Even if not everything is going well, we are open and honest about it. This makes it possible to jump in immediately and avoid any complications. This also contributes to the mutual trust.”

Latest technologies

The single rooms in the intensive care unit have the latest technology in the field of patient monitoring and observation. “Winkels really helped here too and fully cooperated. For example, a test environment was installed for trying out all the infrastructure and camera systems.”

Winkels got involved and helped to come up with quick solutions.

A selection of the installation technology that Winkels Techniek puts into place for ZGT:

• Equalisation of the area (classification K3 medical equipment)
• Electro section for medical gases
• Room monitoring (audio and video surveillance)
• Report/fire detection
• Nurse call systems
• Access control systems
• Data infrastructure and Wi-Fi
• Biodynamic LED lighting 

Contribution

According to Ingrid de Vuijst, Winkels Techniek aims to try to help customers as much as possible. “We always tell the customer if we come up with an easier way to replace existing installations. Even if this might mean damaging ourselves in terms of sales,” said Ingrid with a wry smile. 

She continued: “Soon we will be taking our customers with us to the Philips Lighting Application Center. There we will see how energy savings can be achieved in hospitals by using LED lighting.”