DIGITAL TECHNOLOGY
How digital twin technology is informing NHS projects
Charlie Hinchey, Intelligent Buildings Solution consultant for healthcare at Trend Control Systems, explains how Milton Keynes University Hospital is working with Trend Controls, AES, and Haltian, to understand the benefits of deploying one of the first digital twin systems in an NHS healthcare setting.
The healthcare sector has experienced many challenges that have strained its ability to deliver the most efficient and timely care. One issue is the increasing pressure on resources, as hospitals grapple with surges in patient numbers, particularly during peak periods of infection. This has manifested itself in often overwhelmed intensive care units, shortages of essential medical supplies, and exhaustion among frontline healthcare workers. Increasing patient numbers, and disruptions caused by global events such as the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to delays in elective procedures, routine check-ups, and diagnostic tests. As of December 2023, more than 337,000 patients had been waiting over a year for treatment, with 3.3 million waiting over 18 weeks – the maximum wait time for an outpatient appointment to be allotted. Staff shortages worsen the demand on healthcare professionals. The disruption and subsequent backlog caused by the pandemic, combined with an ageing population requiring increased medical attention, have created a formidable
MKUH is among the 40 hospitals selected to receive funding as part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme, and will deliver a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital facility by 2030.
workforce challenge. The lack of skilled healthcare personnel not only contributes to prolonged waiting times, but can also jeopardise the quality of patient care. Given these issues, healthcare leaders
must act to employ strategies to bolster the workforce, improve efficiency, and navigate the complexities posed by the ageing population and staff shortages.
Improving operations through innovative technology has become a viable means to support the healthcare sector against multifaceted challenges.
Milton Keynes University Hospital Like many NHS hospitals, Milton Keynes University Hospital (MKUH) works hard to combat a myriad of challenges faced in managing an acute healthcare estate. While ensuring excellent patient care remains its fundamental priority, ageing infrastructure, population growth, and increasing energy costs, pose operational challenges that the Trust is committed to confronting head on. Renowned for its ability to embrace digital innovation, MKUH is working with Trend Controls, AES, and Haltian, to understand the benefits of deploying one of the first digital twin systems in an NHS healthcare setting. MKUH is among the 40 hospitals
Staff on the inpatient cancer ward at Milton Keynes University Hospital say the use of the Empathic Building platform – using Haltian Thingsee IoT sensors and a Real-Time Locating System – means they now spend less time searching for their colleagues and medical equipment.
selected to receive funding as part of the Government’s New Hospital Programme (NHP), and will deliver a new Women’s and Children’s Hospital facility by 2030. This substantial investment in the hospital’s estate has provided an opportunity for the Trust to consider the ways in which it sees and treats patients to ensure that their needs are met, now and in the future.
August 2024 Health Estate Journal 61
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