When Brian Weldy took the stage at HealthSpaces, he posed an intriguing question: what if we monitored our hospitals with the same precision as pilots monitor aircraft? Drawing on four decades of healthcare facilities experience, including his role leading facilities engineering at HCA, he sees a critical disconnect between how we talk about building intelligence and how we actually manage these complex, resource-intensive facilities. With energy costs up over 22% and a single MRI machine consuming $25,000 annually in power, the financial stakes are clear.
Here's how thinking like a pilot could transform hospital facilities:
1. Know Your Dashboard
Just like pilots rely on real-time instrument readings to make split-second decisions, Weldy showed how hospitals must move beyond "simple monthly utility bills" to comprehensive monitoring. "We need to see something more like these gauges in our buildings to understand what direction the building is going, and how efficient is it working in real-time."
2. Track Your Building's Vital Signs
Much as pilots conduct systematic pre-flight checks, Weldy demonstrated how monitoring individual systems reveals critical patterns. From surgery suites to elevators to imaging equipment, each system tells a story. One revealing example: tracking power usage in operating rooms showed not just when procedures happened, but caught inefficiencies like equipment left running after hours.
3. Rethink Your Crew
"Most healthcare facilities teams are built around traditional maintenance technicians," Weldy explained. "But just as modern aviation requires both maintenance crews and systems specialists, hospitals need this same sophisticated staffing model." This means complementing hands-on maintenance experts with data analysts who can interpret the building's vital signs and predict potential issues before they occur.
4. Use Data to Predict, Not Just React
Just as airlines use data to prevent issues before they occur, Weldy advocates shifting maintenance strategies from calendar-based to prescriptive. With machine learning and smart sensors providing real-time insights, facilities can move beyond reactive fixes to true predictive operations.
Just as airlines use data to prevent issues before they occur, Weldy advocates shifting maintenance strategies from calendar-based to prescriptive. With machine learning and smart sensors providing real-time insights, facilities can move beyond reactive fixes to true predictive operations.
5. Focus on Efficiency First
With energy costs up over 22%, Weldy's approach mirrors aviation's focus on efficiency: "Invest and reduce energy conservation first, then augment with renewables. It's a one-two punch... reduce your load, then go after what you can't reduce anymore with renewables."
The stakes are significant. Weldy shared that a single MRI machine costs about $25,000 annually for electrical power. By treating buildings with the same precision as aircraft, hospitals can spot these costs and address them systematically.
"Do less for less," as Weldy puts it - but do it smarter, with data driving every decision. Just like you wouldn't fly a plane without instruments, it's time to stop running buildings without real-time insights.
Watch Brian Weldy’s full talk here:
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