Safety and swiftness are paramount for those who work within emergency medicine. When inclement weather strikes, it is crucial that healthcare professionals can perform their jobs efficiently without having to worry about the elements. Adena Regional Medical Center in Chillicothe, Ohio, recognized how snow and ice can threaten the safety of not only medical professionals, but patients as well. When the hospital decided to expand its emergency department, they considered safety by installing a hydronic-based snow and ice melting (SIM) system in a helipad, a walkway that leads to the emergency entrance and a walkway that leads to a patient entrance.
“Time is of the essence when the rescue squad brings in a sick patient,” says Jim Jones, Adena’s building systems supervisor. “Our nursing staff and the rescue squad work quickly to move patients from the ambulance or helipad into the building, so we want to create a safe working environment. A SIM system can provide a bit of assurance, as worries about falling on an icy or snowy surface while handling a patient are minimized.”