Health care facility managers work behind the scenes Published Oct. 30, 2013 By Staff Sgt. Jordan Herrera 375th Medical Support Squadron SCOTT AIR FORCE BASE, Ill. -- The 375th Medical Group, Facilities Management Team, observes National Health Care Facilities and Engineering Week annually in the month of October. The week-long observance recognizes the important role health care facility managers and engineers play in keeping the nation's health care facilities safe and operational. At Scott Air Force Base, the facilities management team is the caretaker of the medical group building assets that keep our doors open to provide a ready, healthy community for our warriors and veterans. They are guardians behind the scenes keeping watch over construction risk assessments, updates of codes and standards, new requirements in environmental infection control for building maintenance, total equipment life cycle cost, energy efficiency goals, indoor air quality performance, and how to deal with everyday threats and stress of environmental situations. Without the 375th MDG dedicated healthcare facility management team working behind the scenes, staff and patients would not have the comfortable atmosphere we often take for granted. The 375th MDG climate systems are operated by a workstation that knows to turn the air on and off at certain times of the day. Likewise, the same system regulates the building temperature at night to keep the facility's equipment and pharmaceuticals within appropriate environmental ranges while allowing the clinic to cut energy costs. Much like a smart device, the clinic has been programmed to consume energy efficiently while making the best use of the taxpayer dollars that have been entrusted to the staff to manage. "With the improvements that have been made, it has allowed energy costs to be cut more than $50,000 from six years ago," said Tom Stoddard, 375th MDG facility manager. In the future, the 375th MDG plans for additional improvements such as replacing the parking lot lighting with an updated light emitting diode lighting system. The new LED system will illuminate the entire parking lot for roughly the equivalent energy and costs that it currently takes to power two street lamps. The FM Team is focused on providing the best clinical environment for the costs, while garnering the 375th MDG their second consecutive energy star. This accomplishment has come from the folks who are rarely seen and are rarely thanked. Though this accomplishment can be attributed to strong leadership, this is truly a team accomplishment and evident in their spirit to strive for excellence.