There is no shortage of technology, automation, digitization and even a touch of artificial intelligence here and there, but what each story shows is that at ATS, technology is all about people at the end of the day. It is that philosophy that links electro André Gevaert, a member of ATS Group, and the St. Joseph's Clinic in Izegem. Although head of technical services Wouter Blondeel has been in post for more than 25 years, he still has to bow his head in knowledge of the installations for electro Andre Gevaert: "What a convenience to be able to count on them every time."

St. Joseph's Clinic, located in the heart of Izegem, will be 100 years old in 2024. "From then dates the first official recognition of hospital beds, at least. Even before that, this location was all about care." Today, by the way, those are 271 hospital beds, spread over several blocks. The main building itself dates back to '79. The most recent addition happened in 2012 when a new emergency room and day hospital were added, among other things. "That will be the future," Blondeel assures.

E17 network

The Sint-Jozefskliniek has been part of the E17 hospital network since 2020, which also includes AZ Groeninge (Kortrijk), O.L.V. van Lourdes Hospital (Waregem), AZ Sint-Vincentius (Deinze), AZ Maria Middelares (Gent), AZ Sint-Elisabeth (Zottegem) and AZ Glorieux (Ronse). "Each hospital retains its identity but we are looking for cohesion where possible. That way we can use the resources that are there more efficiently."

Cut partner

Blondeel leads a technical department of 12 employees at Saint Joseph's Clinic. "We try to keep everything in our own hands as much as possible. That means we do preventive checks, take care of all repairs and do minor improvement work. For larger projects, we look for the right partner through public tenders." Anyone who looks at the list of recent years, which includes the renovation of the neurology, pediatrics and radiology or maternity department, sees the name of electro André Gevaert recurring remarkably often. "A collaboration that goes back to my predecessor and Tom Vroman, then site manager for Develtere electro (merged with electro André Gevaert in 2017)," he says.

Collaboration that goes back a long time

In '80, they work together on a project for the first time. The beginning of a relationship built on respect and trust. electro André Gevaert is the jack-of-all-trades at the Sint-Jozefskliniek: general electricity, lighting, outlets, access control, fire detection, but also everything behind it in terms of electrical boards and networks. Project manager and co-CEO of electro André Gevaert Michiel Goegebeur: "We have a close-knit experienced team and can count on the backing and expertise of the entire ATS group. Fiber optic network? Then we call in APS. Complex cabinets? Right up Electrical Panels' alley. Need fire detection? Then we call on Autrosystems. And so on and so forth. That total picture makes us stronger."

Technology is all about people

Johan De Coninck has been a technician right from the start. "By now he knows all our installations through and through, knows every inch of cable. But he also knows how we work and what we expect. That combination is invaluable in achieving efficiency. In fact, he is just as much a part of our team. Technology is ultimately about people. Robots and computers can make our lives easier, but they certainly can't solve everything," says Blondeel.

Homey atmosphere

That philosophy is at the heart of what St. Joseph's Clinic is trying to do. "People come to our hospital because care still has a real face here. An extra cookie with the coffee, an extra chat ... that works wonders. That is the strength of the E17 network. We can continue to invest in it, really make it our trademark, because we no longer have to develop our own IT infrastructure, for example." The new maternity is perhaps the best example of this. The rooms feel more like cozy living rooms than classic hospital rooms.

Thinking along with the customer

A concept in which electro André Gevaert proved how it can think along with customers. First in a test room, then rolled out for the entire maternity. "With indirect lighting in the form of LED strips and pendant fixtures, we tried to reinforce that homely atmosphere," Goegebeur explains. In addition, electro André Gevaert went in search of a way to signal to visitors that the mom needs her privacy for a moment. An in-house designed lamp displays the West Flemish word "belet. "Clear for everyone, fitting within our concept and, importantly, very easy for the mom to handle. Exactly what we needed. It's things like that that show they know the house," Blondeel adds.

Knowing your way around hospitals

Important in this story is the experience electro André Gevaert has accumulated in hospitals. And not only in the Saint Joseph Clinic. Michiel Goegebeur explains, "Hospitals are a very special environment. Speed and efficiency prevail, to inconvenience the staff and patients as little as possible. Work in the operating theater, for example, happens at night. And everything has to be back in perfect condition before we leave. That requires good timing, experience and the necessary flexibility." But there are also peculiarities in terms of technology. "The presence of medical equipment, means that you have to pay extra attention to magnetic fields and bring cabling in the right way. Because we already know the house so well, that's often the essence of our site meetings: what equipment will go in and what is needed for that?"

"Hospitals are a very distinct environment. Speed and efficiency prevail, to minimize inconvenience to staff and patients. Work in the operating theater, for example, happens at night. And everything has to be back in perfect condition before we leave. That requires good timing, experience and the necessary flexibility." Michiel Goegebeur

Always count on

Closing, Blondeel does so with an anecdote that illustrates the relationship with electro André Gevaert and the team there. "Just before the opening of our new building, which was also attended by the minister, a short circuit happened on the primary circuit. Panic on all the benches, we had not yet taken the training and consequently did not know what to do. But then I knew I could call electro Andre Gevaert. Half an hour later they were here and knew what to do to get everything working again. No other company could have fixed that problem in such a short time frame. At times like that, you know what you have in common."