Medical Construction & Design

NOV-DEC 2017

Medical Construction & Design (MCD) is the industry's leading source for news and information and reaches all disciplines involved in the healthcare construction and design process.

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32 Medical Construction & Design | NOV EMBER / DECEMBER 2017 | MCDM AG.COM Technology plays a big role in our everyday lives. It is often a disruptive force that can change the way we function as a society and conduct business. This is also having a profound eff ect on the healthcare sector, enhancing the patient experience. Patients are using technol- ogy to address their healthcare needs in ways that we have never seen before. They are going online to self-diagnose their ailments, and research- ing potential over-the-counter treatment options, as well as using it to choose a clini- cian and healthcare facility. Wearables and personal assis- tive devices are at an all-time high. The Apple Watch was recently announced as "the most-used heart rate monitor in the world" and is racing to become the personal biomet- ric device of choice — helping individuals to warn of poten- tial health threats or monitor known issues. Patients expect technology to be seamlessly integrated into the healthcare experience, so they can participate more fully in their care. From the growth of urgent care facilities, which allows patients to book appointments online, to care outside of a doc- tor's offi ce or hospital through remote patient communica- tions, such as telehealth, en- hancing the patient experience through technology is real and rapidly growing. The same can be said for how healthcare facilities are being designed and built. New technologies — from tools that serve as indoor GPS tracking systems that help to better understand doctor and nurse workfl ows to virtual reality, which can simplify design choices, clarify assumptions to conceptual estimates, ac- celerate decision-making and promote stakeholder buy-in and collaboration — are play- ing a big role in the creation of the healthcare facilities of the future. As the delivery of healthcare in America moves toward more accountable care models, driv- ing effi ciency and enhancing the patient care experience is imperative. This is also true for the renovation and construc- tion of new healthcare facili- ties, which is leaning more on technological advances to build more effi ciently, safely and with greater purpose. Following are three technol- ogy trends to watch in health- care planning. Trend #1: Technology enhancing the patient experience Talk to any hospital CEO about areas they are focused on improving and they are likely to include patient satisfaction and quality of care high up on their list. Hospitals have always cared about the patient experience yet, due to the shift in healthcare reimbursements, it is not only a moral obligation, but also an essential business need. This can be seen in the form of patient satisfaction surveys. If a hospital does not score well on quality and patient experience, then it can aff ect their reimbursements. In the age of the Internet of Things, new technologies and connected devices are quickly moving into the healthcare sector. Concepts like remote patient monitoring, electronic TRENDS TO WATCH The disruptive force of technology changing the future face of healthcare Real-time location tracking dashboards can be viewed and manipulated on mobile devices such as iPads. Exclusion zones (as shown above in orange) can be set up quickly and easily on an iPad in the fi eld or remote computer, and workers who may accidentally enter are notifi ed immediately through an alert. BY ANDREW QUIRK THE FUTURE ISSUE FOCUS

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