Infrared Scans in Healthcare Environments – How to Choose the Right Infrared Contractor

In healthcare facilities, where continuity of service, safety, and regulatory compliance are critical, infrared (IR) thermographic scans are more than just a maintenance tool. They’re an essential component of risk management, asset integrity, and operational resilience. When selecting an IR contractor, the goal should always be to secure value, accuracy, and reliability, not simply the lowest bid. Below is an in-depth guide for healthcare infrastructure teams and facility managers, outlining why quality matters, what to prioritise, and the key questions to ask.

Why Infrared Thermography Matters in Healthcare Settings

Healthcare environments, such as hospitals, clinics, diagnostic labs, and data centres for medical records, are complex ecosystems with time-sensitive equipment, critical electrical infrastructure, and strict safety obligations. Infrared thermography provides a non-intrusive method for identifying anomalies such as overheated circuit connections, unbalanced loads, failing motors, or compromised insulation, before they escalate into equipment failure, unscheduled downtime, or even a fire risk. 

 For example:

• As electrical components experience wear or minor deterioration, they can develop heat patterns that are not visible during a standard visual inspection. A professional infrared scan accurately detects these temperature variations, allowing early identification of potential faults before they disrupt operations or compromise safety.

• A reliable provider will emphasise that inspections must be performed under loaded conditions (i.e., when equipment is under typical operational load) to reveal true hotspots, otherwise the scan may miss the issue entirely.  Given the high-stakes nature of healthcare operations (patient safety, regulatory compliance, data integrity), a sub-par scan is simply unacceptable.

The Cost of Going Wrong

While cost pressures are real, selecting the lowest-priced contractor can expose you to several risks:

• Use of under-specified or outdated equipment that lacks the resolution or thermal sensitivity to pick up critical defects. For example, cameras with low resolution or high NETD (Noise Equivalent Temperature Difference) reduce detection accuracy.

• Technicians lacking proper certification or sector-specific experience may misinterpret images, miss key components, or provide an incomplete report, leading to a false sense of security.

• A report that lacks clarity (e.g., missing load data, lacking thermograms, or failing to tie findings to action) may hinder your ability to remediate effectively. In the context of a healthcare facility, these deficiencies can translate into latent failure, unexpected downtime, regulatory non-compliance, or even a fire event, all of which cost far more than the difference paid upfront for quality.

How to Choose the Right Infrared Contractor

Here’s a structured checklist you can use (or adapt for your procurement process) when choosing the right IR provider for your healthcare facility: 

1. Certifications, Expertise & Sector Alignment

• Ensure that the thermographer holds at least a Level 2 certification in Infrared Thermography (or equivalent industry-recognised accreditation, such as through Infraspection Institute or similar). A higher-level professional (e.g., Level II) should review and endorse the final report.

• Confirm the company’s experience specifically in healthcare or critical-infrastructure environments, where the demands, safety protocols and regulatory burden differ significantly from standard commercial buildings.

• Review the contractor’s documented safety and procedural programme (e.g., PPE standards, live equipment protocols, lock-out/tag-out compliance) since many facilities will require compliance when working on live electrical systems.

• For example, Dynamic Infrared highlights on its website that its team includes certified Level II Thermographers, Professional Electrical Engineers and Red Seal Electricians. Moreover, each Level II Thermographer holds a Journeyman Electrician certificate, underscoring their expertise in electrical systems and thermographic diagnostics.

• This blend of formal thermography certification + deep electrical trade credentials ensures that the inspection firm not only captures thermal anomalies, but interprets them from an electrical-system perspective and can identify issues beyond just the thermographic image (such as underlying wiring faults, connection degradation or protective device concerns).

• Finally, verify that the provider has sector alignment—i.e., relevant experience working in the type of facility you operate (healthcare, institutional, industrial) and an understanding of the regulatory/compliance context you face.

2. Equipment & Technical Specifications

• Request the make/model of the thermal camera and verify it meets minimum specs: e.g., resolution of at least 640 x 480 pixels and thermal sensitivity (NETD) of better than <40 mK (0.04°C) for meaningful anomaly detection.

• Confirm that the camera is periodically calibrated (e.g., annual calibration) to maintain accuracy.

• Inquire about additional features such as IR-fusion (overlay of visible and infrared images) to help pinpoint exactly where a thermal anomaly is located.

• Ensure the provider uses proper software tools for image analysis and report generation, with clear visualisation of hotspots and comparison to baseline conditions.

3. Scope, Load Conditions & Methodology

• Confirm the scan will be performed under normal operating load (e.g., during peak or typical facility usage) rather than when the systems are idle. Without adequate load, many issues remain invisible.

• Request a clear scope of work that outlines the equipment to be inspected (e.g., switchgear, generator sets, UPS, HVAC motors) and what is excluded. Reports from insurers highlight omissions as a key risk.

• Ensure the contractor will coordinate with your in-house maintenance/electrical teams so that access can be provided (including opening panels if safe and permitted) and so that any follow-up corrective work can be scheduled promptly.

4. Reporting Quality & Actionability

• A high-quality report should include:

  • Name and certification level of the thermographer.

  • Clear thermograms (infrared image) plus a digital visible photo of the same component.

  • Equipment identification (circuit, panel, location), load data (amps, breaker rating), and measured surface temperatures.

  • A preliminary diagnosis of anomalies and recommended actions or next steps.

• Ask whether historic baseline data or trending is included (valuable for repeat scans over time).

• Check how the report is delivered (e.g., digital PDF format, annotated images) and whether it aligns with your maintenance system or asset management platform.

5. Cost vs Value 

While cost is important, the lowest-cost contractor may cut corners: older equipment, under-qualified personnel, limited coverage, or less detailed reporting.

• Instead, evaluate based on value: credible certification, high-quality equipment, full scope coverage, safe execution, and a detailed, actionable report.

• Consider the cost of failure: in a healthcare environment, an undetected electrical fault or mechanical hot-spot could lead to a service interruption (e.g., imaging equipment downtime), high repair cost, or licensure/regulatory consequences.

• Ask vendors for a breakdown of what is included/excluded in the price so you can compare fairly.

Pro Tips for Healthcare Facility Managers

• Schedule scans during high-load periods (for example, when all diagnostic imaging or lab equipment is operating) to maximise detection of hotspots.

• Integrate infrared scans into your preventive maintenance plan, not just as a one-time exercise. Trending over time increases value.

• Preserve reports and images in your facility management system so you can track changes and demonstrate to auditors/regulators.

• Coordinate with your maintenance contractor: if a hotspot is flagged, have clear follow-up action and remediation prioritised. The scan is diagnostic, not necessarily corrective.

• Review previous contractor reports (if any) to assess whether findings were actionable, understandable, and led to remedial work. Use this as a baseline when selecting your next provider.

In the highly regulated, mission-critical world of healthcare facilities, the decision to hire an infrared scanning contractor should prioritise certified expertise, robust equipment, comprehensive scope, high-quality reporting, and proven experience—not simply the cheapest quote. Investing a little more upfront for a reliable scan can pay dividends in preventative maintenance, operational continuity, and risk reduction.