Will Technology Bring Us Smart Hospitals?

Industry 4.0 is right here with us, and it continues to make great milestones in key areas of human existence. New technologies are being used to improve not only the quality but also the efficiency of people’s daily operations. Think of smartphones, smart cars; now people are actively and rightfully thinking of smart hospitals. Thanks to smart technology, hearing devices have hit a milestone in their development and use.

A smart hospital is characterized by its great reliance on automation. This is greatly inclined towards an ICT background and environment, combined with the Internet of Things (IoT). Their great alignment is what promises to improve and make healthcare provision readily available and affordable to many populations of the world.

A number of developments are what make smart hospitals an imminent reality and they include:

The Rise Of New Technologies

The rise of new technologies such as the Internet of Things, Cloud Computing, and Big Data is what holds the key for safe and efficient treatment strategies for many patients. For instance, by their application, a number of treatment options can be used for many patients and many conditions. The idea is to individualize the method of treatment and care from anywhere and at any time by use of automation.

A case in point is the use of biotelemetry, which will help in the collection of useful data concerning patients. For instance, this technology can be used to monitor vital signs of a patient throughout the day. Patients can be prescribed wearable technology such as smart watches or electroluminescent clothing among other useful devices.

These devices can then help relay meaningful data to doctors and clinicians in real-time. Instant help is then made available if need be, and change in the behavior of a patient can also be instituted.

Application Of Blockchain Technologies

This peer-to-peer transactional technology is what will allow hospitals and their patients to own’ untampered-with patient data. The same unadulterated data can easily be shared with different hospitals and research organizations to find timely solutions.

The use of blockchain technology is also what will make operations not only transparent but secure as well. The limitations of sharing a large amount of data are what have been holding back research and innovations, but with this kind of technology being part and parcel of the smart hospital, a lot of improvements in healthcare are what is anticipated.

The fast streaming and sharing of information is not only a fast way for hospitals to access patient information from any part of the globe but also a way to do it in a secure environment in which all data is efficiently dealt with.

Virtual Treatment & Care

For patients, the availability of new sensor devices configured with an innovative app is what promises to help them through their journey towards recovery. Take an example of patients needing orthopedic and physical therapy care.

In such cases, an app can guide them through needed routine exercise; especially by recording their range of motions while relaying the same information to their physical therapist. This helps clinicians to attend to their patients, but also to have the free time to attend to many others as well. In another way, this also helps in reducing the challenge of staff shortages in many hospitals.

Tactica said that the use of mobile applications and allocated patient portals will help doctors to quickly access patient information even before the patient physically arrives at the hospital for their first appointment. In so doing, unnecessary queues are avoided, and timely medical treatment becomes available.

Think also of situations where patients are already provided with electronic and digitally connected wristbands. On the other side, the doctors are able to monitor a patient’s vital signs remotely. At the same time, the same wearable devices are able to assist patients in tracking their medication schedules and sleep patterns.

In the recent past, the world has already seen the rise and utilization of sophisticated technologies in hospitals, making complicated cases look like child’s play. But a point is coming soon when machines are going to take a center stage in assisting healthcare professionals more and more in executing critical tasks in the lives of patients.

As the journey towards smart technology continues to accelerate, the best way health facilities can manage this situation is to quickly focus on personnel and technical training. These will make the handling of the investable digital capabilities much easier.

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