The planning for and provision of medical equipment and supplies provides many challenges, not least of which is the rapid advance in technology which threatens to make equipment obsolete. This equipment, in the first place, may have been extremely expensive to procure. This is why the management of the FF&FE (Furniture & Fittings, Fixtures & Equipment) process should be in the hands of professionals who specialise in this field.
The nature of much of the equipment required in a medical facility is such that its procurement and placement in the facility must be planned in conjunction with the facilities design team. It is a team effort, involving the development of a master FF&E list; budget, inventory and life cycle management; architectural and engineering support; the procurement process; risk management; relocation planning and communication.