Technology company Aramark opened a new Healthcare Technology & Innovation Center in Charlotte, N.C. earlier this month, touting the new venture as a way to drive more efficient ways for hospitals to manage their clinical equipment assets.

The company, a $14 billion global provider of food, facilities management and uniforms services, is also the largest independent provider of diagnostic and imaging services in North America.

The new center strengthens Aramark's position to provide versatile and cost effective hospital clinical equipment management programs by increasing its research and development expertise, centralizing training and engineering capabilities, Aramark executives say. It also integrates Aramark's clinical equipment parts sourcing organization into a single center of excellence.

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"Innovation is a vital cultural and competitive strength across Aramark and we are focused on fostering an environment of dreaming and doing among our engineers and technicians," said Victor Crawford, COO of Aramark's healthcare sector, in a news release. "The Aramark Technology & Innovation Center brings together all of our subject matter expertise – from supply chain to research and development – to bolster our capabilities to plan and manage customized programs that optimize our hospital partners' investment in clinical equipment assets."

"Innovation comes in many shapes and sizes and when clinical equipment in hospitals is not operable, it impacts patient care," he added.

[See also: NFL embraces diagnostic imaging, EHRs.]

Aramark's new 105,000 square-foot Technology & Innovation Center employs more than 140 people and features:

Simulated patient care suites with more than 32 active magnetic resonance imaging, computed tomography, catheterization laboratory, and X-Ray systems.
The integration of Aramark's wholly owned ReMedPar organization, a provider of diagnostic and imaging parts and components.

• A focused group of highly skilled testing and software engineers that drive research and development to enhance Aramark's diagnostic and repair capabilities on complex electronic systems.
• Improved remote monitoring capabilities that enable engineers at the center to digitally interface with specific equipment located within Aramark's client locations to troubleshoot and correct issues in real time, often before the hospital realizes a problem.
• A fully staffed 24x7 customer service center, with live technical and part ordering support, to quickly address client needs so that equipment critical to patient care gets back in use faster.