Building Future-Ready Healthcare Environments
At the HIMSS Global Health Conference & Exhibition in Las Vegas, industry leaders gathered to discuss “Building the Future: The Path to Smart Hospitals.” The panel, moderated by Doug Mirsky, vice president of the Digital Medicine Society (DiMe), explored how healthcare facilities are reimagining patient care through technology and innovation.
Smart hospitals address two fundamental opportunities: enhancing patient experience and empowering healthcare providers. These initiatives focus on keeping patients informed and actively engaged in their care journey while removing administrative barriers for clinicians.
Patient-Centered Technology Solutions
Immersive patient experiences are revolutionizing healthcare delivery. CHOC Children’s Hospital/Rady Children’s Health has implemented innovative solutions including:
- Virtual nursing support systems
- Medication floor command centers optimizing bed capacity
- Immersive MRI experiences with mobile apps
- Virtual reality environments with customized lighting themes
- Augmented reality modules promoting healing and education
“We are patient- and family-centric. Our MRI experience includes both a mobile app for patients before they arrive and virtual reality; there is lighting themes and entertainment,” explained Debra Beauregard, director of medical intelligence and innovation.
AI-Powered Healthcare Innovations
Smart hospitals are leveraging artificial intelligence to transform care delivery. CHOC Children’s Hospital is developing numerous AI initiatives, including:
- Readmission prediction models
- Discharge planning optimization tools
- Sepsis detection systems
- Emergency department early warning systems
- “CHOC-GPT” nursing assistant currently in testing
Beauregard emphasized their forward-thinking approach: “Our philosophy of creating a hospital of the future is not overdesigning for current tech but really creating that platform for future technologies.”
Patient Control and Personalized Environments
Penn Medicine’s approach to smart hospital design emphasizes patient autonomy. Their facility, built in 2021, incorporated extensive patient feedback in room design.
“The rooms are conducive to a sense of openness, freedom, comfort and caring,” said Anna Schoenbaum, vice president of applications and digital health at Penn Medicine. “The aim is to put patients in control.”
Their smart hospital features include:
- Smart TVs functioning as patient information boards
- EHR integration displaying daily care plans
- Virtual visit capabilities for family connections
- Connected virtual ICUs and emergency departments
Streamlined Clinician Experiences
Memorial Hermann Health System focuses on creating balanced environments benefiting both patients and healthcare providers.
“From the patient perspective, we want to make it personalized and private. How do we give a little element of control, to control things within their space? The education we provide them, the lights and temperature to create a better experience for them,” explained Eric Smith, chief digital officer.
For healthcare professionals, the focus shifts to information accessibility and workflow efficiency. “How can we give them the most information possible and really streamline the experience on the clinician side and help them focus on where that care delivery is today?”
Future-Ready Healthcare Technology
Smart hospitals continue exploring emerging technologies through ongoing pilot programs. Memorial Hermann is actively testing:
- Advanced telemetry monitoring systems
- AI-powered patient monitoring solutions
- Virtual nursing capabilities
- Device-based smart rooms enabling patient information access
- Video consultation features with virtual nursing staff
These technological innovations represent the foundation of tomorrow’s healthcare environments—facilities designed around patient needs while empowering clinicians to deliver exceptional care.
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