A Case Study of BIM-Based Model Adaptation for Healthcare Facility Management—Information Needs Analysis

Facility management (FM) is responsible from the proper functioning of building systems, such as mechanical, electrical, plumbing, and fire protection. The increased level of complexity in building systems means more work for the owner’s FM personnel. The FM work has unique challenges for finding the right resources of information to detect faulty systems and deficient pieces of equipment. This paper is focused on how Building Information Modeling (BIM) can support FM operations for buildings with more complex systems and strict operation and maintenance requirements, such as healthcare facilities. In order to get a better understanding of the dynamic environment in which the FM operates, a period of work shadowing has been arranged with a healthcare building owner. Case narratives are formed as an outcome of the shadowing experience and process models are created to identify the basic workflows. These workflows include the interactions, decision points, documents and information exchange among the owner’s personnel. Based on these process models, information needs have been discussed in order to extend the functionality of BIM and add value to FM personnel’s operation and maintenance activities.