TECHNOLOGY
The hospital of the future Amy Sarcevic
I
f you close your eyes and picture the hospital of the future, a few images may spring to mind. Robots wandering the hallways and checking patient vitals. Machines dishing out medications, or performing complex surgeries. While these would not be foolish ideals to aim for, the Chief Executive of Health Infrastructure, Rebecca Wark, believes sometimes it is the simpler innovations that make the largest difference to patient experience. “There is something to be said for simplicity when planning for future hospitals,” Wark said. “Sweeping innovations that drastically alter clinical practice are important, but so are the more basic technology upgrades that make a big difference to patients and their families feeling comfortable — like better 16
HOSPITAL + HEALTHCARE
Wi-Fi connections, so that visitors stay by bedsides for longer.”
meaningful impact on a patient’s mental or physical health.”
Wark’s aspirations for yet-to-be-invented healthcare technologies are of a similar ilk: simple tools that support people through the hospital system, or minimise clinician involvement.
An ongoing theme
“I would love to get to a point where clinicians can collect data from smart watches, so that you don’t have to get an ECG the second you get into hospital. Or have a communications system that sends you a text message when it is your turn to be seen in a fracture clinic, so patients don’t have to sit for hours when their child breaks an ankle. “It may seem counterintuitive to prioritise simplicity in healthcare procurement, but tools like this can often have the most WINTER 2022
This kind of thinking is necessary as Wark’s team plan and deliver NSW Health’s $10.8 billion infrastructure pipeline. Alongside simplicity, Wark says thinking small — not big — is sometimes more effective in achieving health outcomes. “People tend to think bigger is better, but within the hospital environment, the opposite can be true. When you make hospitals more compact and configure spaces to achieve good ergonomics and visibility, then you make it easier for clinicians to monitor patients and resources go further.” Smaller wards may also better suit the future healthcare landscape. With the rise of virtual
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