From Data to Decisions: The Future of Healthcare Facilities Management
In this episode of Facility Voices, David Trask sits down with Dennis Ford, Corporate Facilities Management at Advocate Health and current ASHE President, to explore a career shaped by engineering, military service, and healthcare facilities leadership.
Dennis shares how his journey began in the U.S. Air Force, where his civil engineering background led him into healthcare facilities management. From managing individual medical facilities to supporting operations across a growing healthcare system, his career has given him a unique perspective on leadership, standardization, risk, and operational preparedness.
The conversation also explores the future of healthcare facilities management, including AI, CMMS technology, building automation, cybersecurity, and the importance of collaboration between facilities and IT. Dennis explains why accurate asset inventories and standardized data are the foundation for smarter decisions—and how technology can help teams prioritize work, improve efficiency, and better manage facility risk.
Tune in to hear Dennis Ford’s story and insights from the front lines of facilities management.
Each episode of Facility Voices includes supplementary content that expands on key themes and insights from the conversation. You can find that additional material at: Access Episode Takeaways
Dennis Ford
Corporate Facilities Management
Advocate Health & Current ASHE President
Dennis Ford has more than 30 years of experience in healthcare facilities management and currently serves as President of the ASHE Advisory Board. A civil engineer who began his career in the U.S. Air Force, Dennis has held facilities leadership roles at Texas Children’s Hospital, UTMB, Baptist Health System, and Advocate Health. He also teaches in UTSA’s Facility Management Master’s Program and holds CHFM, CHC, and FASHE credentials, along with a Master of Health Administration from Texas A&M.
Thanks for listening. Follow David Trask on LinkedIn to share feedback. Visit the ARC Facilities LinkedIn page.
The views and opinions expressed by third-party guests on this podcast are their own and do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions of ARC Facilities and ARC Document Solutions. We provide a platform for diverse perspectives and discussions and ARC Facilities/ARC Document Solutions assumes no responsibility or liability for the accuracy or completeness of the content provided by our third-party guests.