INTEGRATED BUILDING TECHNOLOGY
‘Demographic change, brought about by higher life expectancy and progress in medical care, is increasing the pressure on all service providers in modern healthcare systems.’
RFID systems can be used to track people and assets around the hospital.
meet the comfort, security and efficiency requirements in hospitals and care facilities. The integration and central control of the building technology infrastructure are essential to this approach. Standardised interfaces can be used to control laboratory and biomedical systems and to monitor information and communication systems. Such interoperability between building automation, danger management, biomedical engineering, and information and communication technology will allow hospitals to provide the best patient care possible while keeping costs to acceptable levels and maximising security and reliability. The following examples demonstrate how
integrated solutions can ensure patient and staff comfort and security in hospitals and care facilities as well as helping to streamline
operations and improve energy efficiency. Hospital room solution: Modern hospital
rooms give patients maximum independence and easy communication, helping to reduce the workload of caregivers and doctors. Via a touch panel terminal that acts as a cockpit attached to the hospital bed the patient is able to access room controls – lighting, temperature, windows, blinds – and communication features such as phone and email. Patients are also able to choose from a variety of entertainment options such as television, video, Internet, radio or games. In addition, the terminal provides access to
patient records which doctors and caregivers can retrieve using their ID. Because the patient terminals are connected to the hospital information system, system administrators can also make definable information, such as X-rays, available at the
patients’ bedside. Operating room solution: Operating
rooms have stringent requirements for technical systems. To protect the lives of patients, operating rooms must be available immediately when needed and ensure trouble-free operations. Correctly set ventilation, for example, will help protect against infections during surgery. Adequate fresh air supply and the correct room temperature can improve working conditions and boost the productivity of surgeons and nurses during surgery. A touch panel that communicates with both building automation and technical equipment will allow for immediate and direct control of features such as ventilation, heating, lighting and blinds, and displays error status messages. Based on customised scenarios, an operating room solution can allow operating room workflows
to be optimised. Mobile nurse call and care system for
dementia patients: The effects of an aging population includes an increase in the number of long-term patients and in the occurrence of diseases such as dementia, which require specialised solutions.
‘Operators, owners, and tenants of healthcare buildings can use system integration through open system architecture to achieve significant synergy benefits and to reduce costs throughout the entire building life cycle.’
IFHE DIGEST 2013
This makes it vital to optimise performance in care wards to ensure comprehensive patient care at any time. A proactive security management system, for example, could be established to track older persons, those suffering from confusion, and patients who might get lost in the hospital or leave the building without supervision. Using a state- of-the-art wireless tracking system, the location of a person carrying a radio- frequency identification (RFID) transmitter can be determined quickly and precisely. In an emergency, the nursing staff in charge can also be alerted immediately. This provides enhanced security for patients and peace of mind for relatives as well as better staff productivity because caregivers do not have to continually monitor doors or search for patients. The system can also eliminate baby mix-ups, prevent theft of expensive medical equipment, and support asset tracking and logistical workflows. On being admitted to the hospital,
patients receive a ‘tag’ wristband which incorporates a built-in transmitter. Readers installed on the ceilings and at exits can report the location and identity of each transmitter to a central server. In an area devoted specifically to the care of the elderly, doors can be automatically locked when a patient approaches the door, ensuring that any patient suffering from disorientation does not leave their area of care, get lost or leave the hospital unsupervised. In the psychiatric department, protection is also afforded by the system’s room location feature.
Conclusion Operators, owners, and tenants of healthcare buildings can use system integration through open system architecture to achieve significant synergy benefits and to reduce costs throughout the entire building life cycle. The advantages of interaction between
different functions and systems in a building are numerous, a primary one being the availability of all the necessary information at the location required. The intelligent interaction between security, fire and building comfort reduces the number of manual interventions required, it increases comfort and safety, and it provides the means to achieve sustained energy optimisation.
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