While virtual care implementations have been a significant focus in the healthcare sector over the past three years, healthcare organizations have not overlooked the need to modernize their physical spaces as well.
In the hospital setting, modern patient rooms are undergoing a transformation to provide more consumer-oriented comforts, resembling the amenities one might find in a comfortable living room. A prime example is Penn Medicine’s newly constructed pavilion at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania. Here, patient rooms are equipped with a spacious 75-inch smart TV that offers access to essential care information, entertainment options, and control over room features like lighting and temperature.
Dr. Gianrico Farrugia, the President and CEO of Mayo Clinic, emphasized the necessity of updating physical healthcare infrastructure, even before the pandemic, but especially during it. He stressed that this physical transformation has been neglected and requires significant national attention and investment in the coming years.
These modernized physical spaces also benefit clinicians, facilitating the transition from virtual to in-person care. In a context marked by staffing challenges and financial constraints, smart hospital solutions are emerging to automate routine tasks and create touchless opportunities for healthcare providers at the bedside. This shift aims to achieve a more integrated and seamless approach to patient care.
As both patients and clinicians increasingly demand greater connectivity, encompassing everything from streaming capabilities to clinical mobility, hospital rooms are evolving to meet these expectations. Healthcare organizations need not feel overwhelmed by starting from scratch; instead, they can devise strategies with interdisciplinary teams and make use of the tools already at their disposal.
At its core, a smart hospital utilizes real-time data to make informed decisions, supported by automation that reduces manual workloads for staff and extends care beyond the hospital’s physical boundaries. The Patient Room ‘Next’ framework outlines five main objectives: integration, real-time data utilization, automated documentation, touchless technology, and adaptable spaces.
To successfully implement this approach, assembling an interdisciplinary team of stakeholders is essential from the outset. Such a team is more likely to ensure the full adoption and utilization of smart hospital solutions, involving everyone from bedside clinicians to the IT department. This team is also instrumental in prioritizing security and privacy concerns alongside goals related to staffing, budgeting, and workflow efficiencies. As healthcare extends beyond the hospital, data security remains paramount, especially as many smart hospital solutions incorporate video and audio components, necessitating careful consideration of patient privacy and safety.
Healthcare organizations will continue to emphasize data, with ongoing efforts to transition to the cloud in support of modernization. The next phase involves aggregating and using this data effectively to reduce the cognitive load on clinicians and enhance clinical decision support.
Importantly, hospitals do not need to replace their existing solutions entirely. Instead, they can maximize the potential of their current tools. This will involve implementing an optimized framework of solutions to achieve the desired outcomes for the organization.
Patient Room ‘Next’ is not about incorporating the latest flashy technology but rather about constructing a roadmap toward improved patient care outcomes. With a solid foundation in core IT technologies, healthcare organizations can begin implementing these changes without disrupting their current operations.
