New CT Scanner for Seton Hospital Up and Running in Two Weeks

Cutting downtime from two months to two weeks, DPR replaced a computerized tomography (CT) scanner for Seton Medical Center, in Austin, TX by working the night shift and allowing existing units to remain in operation throughout the critical procedure.

“The original proposal called for two months to remove the old unit, build out the space with upgraded systems, and then install the new scanner,” said Mike Nieft of DPR. “Rather than shutting down the system, we left units running while completing a majority of the rough-in work for the new scanner, which helped minimize disruption to the hospital.”

The project team also worked with “hot” electrical panels — making connections and demolishing existing wire work — to ensure that Seton’s surgery department, which was tied in to the same circuit, remained fully functional throughout the project.

“Our top priority was to finish the job as quickly and safely as possible,” said Nieft. “‘Hot work’ can be precarious, so we took every precaution to reduce risk. We followed hospital procedures, and since there isn’t a license or permit required for ‘hot work,’ I called references to double check that the electrician had prior experience in working with hot panels in a hospital.”

Seton’s head of electrical work was also on-site to verify where lines went and notify end-users who may have been affected by an electrical shutdown. In addition, representatives from DPR and Tedco Electric remained at the hospital while work was being completed as an added preventative measure.

Nieft added that aside from all of the technical work, one of the biggest challenges was having a number of trades, approximately 20 people at any one time, working in the 1,000-sq.-ft. space within a busy operating hospital. “The technical experience of the subcontractors is what made this project possible,” said Nieft.

According to Shawn Lavin, project manager for Seton Medical Center, although the project was very small in scope, it required an aggressive schedule and tremendous amount of coordination expertise.

“It was good to have a contractor on board that understood the dynamics of working in a complex healthcare environment, along with the systems needed to support the new scanner,” said Lavin. “I’ve worked with DPR before in other professional situations, and they normally meet my expectations with delivery and quality.”