April 3–6, 2016, Westin Galleria Dallas Health care facilities managers consider Interlink to be one of the best and most affordable opportunities for learning and sharing in Texas. Interlink consistently delivers top-notch educational content, hours of continuing education credits, as well as ongoing opportunities to discuss emerging issues and best practices with colleagues, vendors, and consultants. Mark your calendars now for next year’s exciting multi-day event!

June 30 – July 1, Houston The CHC certification exam is based on practical experience and knowledge you may have gained academically as well as on the job. Designed to give you the tools for passing the Certified Health Care Constructor (CHC) Exam, this course provides test taking tips, key topics, and sample questions identified in the CHC content outline (as listed in the CHC Candidate Handbook). This course will also use interactive polling technology, allowing each participant to answer questions and compare their answer with averages among those in class.

Jeff Ferenc, Health Facilities Management Texas Children’s Hospital, Houston, was named the winner of ECRI Institute’s 10th Annual Health Devices Achievement Award after the hospital revamped its alarm management program to refocus on patient care through data analysis.

American Society for Healthcare Engineering In less than two years, one North Carolina hospital cut energy use by 26 percent—and went from having one of the lowest Energy Star scores to being nationally recognized for efficiency efforts. A new Energy to Care case study shows how the hospital made these improvements without breaking the bank. The case study is the first in a series of success stories ASHE will be highlighting throughout the year on the Energy to Care website.

American Society for Healthcare Engineering Applications are now being accepted for a new award will highlight the work one health care facility is doing to lead the way in energy efficiency. The Energy Champion Award will be awarded for the first time in 2016, and the winner will be recognized at the ASHE Annual Conference in Denver July 10-13.

American Society for Healthcare Engineering Hospitals are increasingly focusing on creating designs that will help improve the patient experience, according to a recent survey from ASHE and Health Facilities Management magazine. More than 86 percent of survey respondents said the patient experience is "very important" in driving design changes. Continue reading to explore the results, and click on the additional data sections online to explore interactive survey data.

Jeff Ferenc, Health Facilities Management The new addition to the Watertown (Wis.) Regional Medical Center (WRMC) and renovation to parts of the existing facility are all about making patient health and wellness top priorities.

Todd Wilkening, Facility Care In my 35 years of working as a property, facility and construction director for healthcare systems and traveling around the country for this business, I have learned many things about the nature of successful facility managers (FM) and how they impact patients and their facilities.