Bridging Communication Gaps: How IT Departments and Construction Teams Can Speak the Same Language

At Equinox HIT, we've walked countless job sites, worked alongside teams in Big Rooms, and navigated milestone meetings where one thing becomes clear: IT and construction teams often speak different languages. And in the fast-paced world of healthcare construction, that communication gap can translate into budget overruns, missed timelines, and costly change orders.

It's not for lack of effort. Construction teams are experts at managing large-scale projects, coordinating trades, and sequencing work. IT departments are focused on uptime, interoperability, cybersecurity, and supporting clinicians and patients. But when it comes to planning and delivering healthcare facilities, these groups need to collaborate—not just coexist.

So how do we bridge that gap?

Bridging the Gap

1. Start Early, Speak Often

Too often, IT is brought into construction planning late in the game, when design decisions are already made and infrastructure is locked in. By that point, even simple IT requests—like adding extra data drops, locating IT space, or routing cabling—can be disruptive and expensive.

Early engagement means alignment.

When IT leaders are at the table during programming and early design phases, they can flag system requirements, technology roadmaps, and integration points that influence everything from space planning to mechanical load calculations.

Success story: At a pediatric medical office building project, Equinox HIT facilitated IT involvement during schematic design, which revealed plans for additional specialty clinics and equipment. By identifying this early, IT could clarify requirements and the design team incorporated the additional IT needs like power capacity and network infrastructure into the initial design—avoiding what would have been costly mid-construction changes and potential opening delays.

Action Step: Create a project charter that defines how and when IT will be engaged—and treat IT as a core stakeholder, not a utility. Schedule touchpoints between IT and construction teams from day one.

2. Define Roles and Responsibilities in Plain Language

One of the most common sources of friction is role confusion. Is IT responsible for security cameras, or is that under the VAR? Who's coordinating device installs? Who owns the network closet build-out?

The answer often depends on how contracts are written, the size and makeup of the healthcare system technology department, and how scopes are defined—but confusion arises when assumptions replace documentation.

Success story: When engaged for a 6-floor replacement hospital, Equinox HIT identified that multiple system installation responsibilities weren't clearly defined in project documentation. We facilitated a responsibility matrix workshop with all stakeholders, clearly defining ownership of each component. The result? Seamless installation coordination kept the project on schedule and on budget.

Action Step: Use a responsibility matrix (like a RACI chart) to clearly identify who's responsible, accountable, consulted, and informed for each IT-related element—from low-voltage design to go-live support. Don't rely on acronyms or IT jargon. Keep it clear and accessible for all team members.

3. Translate Technical Requirements into Construction Realities

IT teams may know exactly what they need—fiber between IDFs, access control integrations, failover power—but unless that's translated into construction-ready documentation, it doesn't get built.

Without proper translation, issues can arise, such as closets sized perfectly for racks but located on the wrong side of a structural wall or power that is specified for workstations but not for badge readers or telemetry devices.

Success story: A major health system brought Equinox HIT on board during the planning phase for their hospital expansion. Our team identified the need for an upgraded Distributed Antenna System (DAS) to ensure reliable and consistent cellular coverage throughout the new areas. We collaborated with IT, facilities, and the construction team to expertly manage the DAS vendor selection process. By translating technical requirements into construction documentation, we ensured proper ceiling access points, wall penetrations, and equipment room specifications were incorporated into the architectural plans before walls were erected. This proactive approach eliminated the need for costly retrofits, reduced installation time, and delivered comprehensive cellular coverage that met the needs of both clinical communication systems and patient and visitor use from day one of operation.

Action Step: Partner IT with construction-savvy team members (or outside experts like Equinox HIT) who can turn IT needs into actionable build requirements: conduit paths, power specs, floor box locations, wall blocking, cooling needs, and rack space. Document these requirements in both IT and construction formats.

4. Align Construction and IT Workflows

IT and construction teams often work in completely different toolsets. Construction teams live in drawings, specs, and project platforms. IT works in spreadsheets, procurement platforms, and ticketing systems.

This disconnect creates blind spots.

Success Story: For a nearly 1 million-square-foot campus transformation project, Equinox HIT utilized our integrated platform, Solstice KEY®. When an upcoming tariff increase threatened to delay the delivery of critical IT equipment and increase pricing, our process enabled the creation of the bill of materials months in advance. This allowed for procurement schedule adjustments that maintained the overall timeline by sourcing IT equipment early, preventing any delays or budget overruns.

Action Step: Align construction and IT workflows. Ensure IT requirements are clearly communicated—whether it's equipment placement drawings, marked-up floor plans, or procurement timelines tied to the construction schedule. When everyone has the same information, decisions get made faster, and issues are caught earlier.

5. Embrace Change Together—with a Plan

Change is inevitable. Healthcare construction projects often span years, and in that time, technology evolves. New leadership may arrive. Workflows shift. A pandemic hits. If IT and construction aren't working in sync, these changes can cause chaos.

The key is to expect change—and plan for it together.

Success story: During a three-year new hospital project, Equinox HIT established a technology review process that evaluated emerging solutions and categorized and prioritized technologies. When the client decided to switch from stationary computers to Workstations on Wheels after construction had begun, our established change management process enabled the construction and IT teams to assess impacts quickly, revise designs, and implement the new solution. The pivot was completed with only minimal adjustments to the timeline and improved clinical workflow.

Action Step: Establish a structured change management process that includes IT and construction input. Define what constitutes a design-impacting change. Build in checkpoints where IT can reevaluate needs. Create a dedicated contingency budget for technology changes. And most importantly, keep the lines of communication open.

Moving Forward—As One Team

When IT and construction teams learn to speak each other's language, the entire project benefits. Budgets are more accurate. Timelines are more realistic. Patient care spaces are better designed. And future retrofits become less likely.

Success Story: Seamless Coordination Delivers Results

When Loma Linda University Health's IS Department embarked on its campus transformation project, which included a 16-floor adult patient tower and a 9-floor pediatric patient tower, leaders engaged Equinox HIT from day one. Our team expertly represented the IS department, collaborated with construction stakeholders, created bilingual documentation that both teams could understand, and maintained a synchronized schedule of technology milestones aligned with construction activities.

The result? The facility opened on time, with zero technology-related change orders during construction and a fully operational clinical environment from day one. Staff training was completed ahead of schedule because the technology was ready for testing well in advance of occupancy.

At Equinox HIT, we specialize in bridging the gap between healthcare IT and construction teams. Our role is to interpret, translate, coordinate, and advocate so everyone is working from the same playbook.

Building the future of healthcare isn't just about bricks and bytes—it's about building trust across disciplines and delivering environments where technology enhances care from day one.

Need Help Bridging the Gap? Let's Talk.

With over 25 years of specialized experience bridging this exact divide, our team has developed proven methodologies to align technology and construction teams for healthcare projects of all sizes. Equinox HIT supports healthcare organizations with planning, coordination, and implementation of IT across every phase of construction.

Equinox HIT is Your HIT Construction Partner. Ready to ensure your next healthcare project benefits from seamless IT-construction collaboration? Contact us today to start the conversation. Let us help you turn communication challenges into collaborative wins.

This article was developed by the Equinox HIT Team with editorial assistance from AI tools and re-reviewed by the Equinox HIT Team for accuracy and alignment with our standards.