ASHE - Dedicated to optimizing the healthcare physical environment

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

IFMA AND ASHE ANNOUNCE MEMORANDUM OF UNDERSTANDING
  
HOUSTON — (Oct. 10, 2007) — The International Facility Management Association (IFMA) and the American Society for Healthcare Engineering (ASHE) today announced they have joined together in a strategic alliance designed to advance the interests of engineering and health care facility professionals.  IFMA and ASHE will finalize this partnership with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding at World Workplace 2007 Conference & Expo in New Orleans, La.

“This is a great opportunity for our organizations to develop a working relationship that benefits both of our memberships,” said IFMA president and Chief Executive Officer David J. Brady. “We’ve identified a number of key objectives that we have in common — from professional development to research — and this agreement allows us to share these objectives with the public and our stakeholders.”

The Memorandum of Understanding outlines efforts to maintain effective communication, promote educational and research programs, create new products and services and collaborate with other professional organizations.  It also encourages cooperative activities that promote professional development and certification and calls for the formation of joint task forces focused on sustainability and benchmarking.

“Recognizing our shared interest in improving the health care built environment, this Memorandum of Understanding creates a set of goals that are of mutual benefit to ASHE and IFMA members and the health care organizations they serve,” said ASHE Executive Director Dale Woodin.  “By sharing the knowledge and experience of our respective members, we hope to accelerate our collective efforts to improve healing environments.”

IFMA and ASHE representatives will sign the Memorandum of Understanding at 11:30 a.m. Central Standard Time on Thursday, Oct. 25, on the Expo floor during World Workplace.  For a complete list of World Workplace events or more information, please visit www.worldworkplace.org.
 
About IFMA:
IFMA is the world’s largest and most widely recognized international association for professional facility managers, supporting more than 18,500 members in 60 countries. The association’s members are represented in 125 chapters and 15 councils worldwide. Formed in 1980, IFMA certifies facility managers, conducts research, provides educational programs, recognizes facility management degree and certificate programs and produces World Workplace, the world’s largest facility management conference and exposition. For more information, visit www.ifma.org.

About ASHE:
The American Society for Healthcare Engineering, a personal membership group of the American Hospital Association (AHA), represents more than 8,400 facilities managers, engineers, clinical engineering/medical equipment managers and professionals in the fields of health care design, construction and safety. ASHE’s efforts are focused on providing its members with timely and relevant information and education through comprehensive publications, advocacy updates and educational programming. For more information about ASHE, call 312-422-3800 or visit www.ashe.org.

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