AI AND DIGITALISATION


Smart hospitals will feature predictive patient flow management systems that optimise space utilisation and resource allocation based on predicted patient volumes and care requirements.


maximises usable space while minimizing environmental impact through its innovative 16 floor design that encompasses 150,000 m² of space within just a 20,000 m² building footprint. The facility demonstrates how real-time data collection and advanced monitoring systems provide hospital managers with comprehensive operational views that enable informed, data-driven decisions. At the heart of the solution is the Desigo CC building management system, which provides integrated management, monitoring and optimisation of all building systems – from mechanical and electrical to security. The result has been significant financial savings and reduced environmental impact, helping the hospital achieve its overall sustainability goals while serving as a model for future healthcare facility development.


Lessons for estates teams Both examples showcase the tangible benefits smart hospital technologies deliver to facilities management teams. The Insel Gruppe implementation demonstrates how digital twins support better decision-making in existing facilities, while Galeazzi-Sant’Ambrogio proves these concepts work at scale in new construction. Most importantly, both projects delivered measurable financial savings alongside operational improvements – the kind of results that justify continued investment and demonstrate the strategic value of estate management functions. Despite the clear benefits, healthcare organisations face unique challenges in implementing smart hospital technologies. Legacy infrastructure, budget constraints and the critical nature of healthcare operations create implementation complexities that don’t exist in other industries. Healthcare facilities can’t simply turn off systems


for upgrades the way other industries might. Every implementation must be carefully planned to ensure continuous operation of life-critical systems while integrating new technologies that will improve long-term performance. This is a constraint I always factor into project planning.


Successful implementations require phased approaches


that demonstrate value while minimising disruption. Typically, organisations should start with non-critical systems, prove the technology’s value and then expand implementation to more complex, mission-critical infrastructure. From my vantage point working on emerging


technologies, I can see how the convergence of AI, IoT and advanced analytics within the healthcare metaverse


promises even greater transformation potential. The technologies being developed today are creating opportunities for healthcare facilities to become truly intelligent environments that adapt continuously to optimise patient outcomes, operational efficiency and environmental sustainability. Smart hospitals will feature predictive patient flow management systems that optimise space utilisation and resource allocation based on predicted patient volumes and care requirements. Personalised environmental controls will adjust lighting, temperature and air quality to support individual patient healing and enhance the overall patient experience through human-centric design principles that prioritise comfort, compassion and wellbeing alongside clinical effectiveness. In the near future, autonomous infrastructure management systems will manage energy, maintenance and operations with minimal human intervention, and integrated care ecosystems – digital platforms that connect building systems with medical equipment and patient care protocols for seamless operations. Rather than replacing estate managers, autonomous


systems will elevate roles from reactive maintenance to strategic facility optimisation. The main shift will be from fixing problems to preventing them, from managing individual systems to orchestrating integrated environments, and from reporting on past performance to predicting and shaping future outcomes. This evolution positions estate management as a


strategic function rather than a cost centre, with expertise in facility operations becoming even more valuable as organisations rely on insights to configure and optimise increasingly sophisticated building systems.


The path forward Healthcare organisations are ready to embrace digital technologies to advance sustainability goals while improving operational efficiency and patient care environments. With two-thirds of our healthcare customers already focused on modernising their hospital infrastructure with digital technologies, the momentum for transformation is building rapidly. We’re moving beyond pilot projects to large-scale implementations. Healthcare leaders recognise that smart hospital technologies aren’t just nice-to-have innovations, they’re essential tools for managing the complex challenges facing modern healthcare delivery. The integration of digital technologies addresses multiple priorities simultaneously – reducing environmental impact, managing staffing workloads, controlling costs, improving operational efficiency, and enhancing patient care environments. This alignment of benefits makes smart hospital implementation not just an environmental imperative, but a strategic necessity for healthcare organisations preparing for the future. As healthcare systems worldwide face increasing pressure to deliver better outcomes with limited resources while meeting sustainability targets, the smart hospital revolution offers a path forward. By implementing integrated solutions with digital technologies at their core, the healthcare sector can accelerate its journey toward more intelligent, sustainable facilities equipped to meet the challenges of our changing world. Ultimately, those healthcare organisations that embrace


this digital evolution will be better positioned to serve their communities, support their staff and contribute to a more sustainable future – proving that the smartest hospitals are those that recognise the inseparable connection between operational excellence and environmental responsibility.


Dr Janina Beilner


Dr Janina Beilner is the Senior Vice President of Healthcare at Siemens, having assumed the role in October 2023. In her position, Janina is primarily responsible for defining the Healthcare Vertical Market strategy and shaping Siemens’ healthcare business. Janina is a medical


doctor (MD, PhD) with two decades of experience in the healthcare space. She received her training from prestigious institutions including the Medical University Hospital Hannover, Havard affiliated Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) Boston, Stanford Clinics, and the National University Hospital (NUH) Singapore. Prior to her current


role, she worked in the pharmaceutical sector at Johnson & Johnson and joined Siemens Healthineers in 2008, where she held various positions including leading clinical research in North East Asia from China. Most recently, as the Senior Vice President of Education and Workforce Solutions within Customer Service at Siemens Healthineers. Additionally, Janina is an appointed lecturer at Friedrich- Alexander University Erlangen-Nürnberg (FAU), affiliated with the Technical University under the chair of AI and Biomedical Engineering/ Machine Learning and Data Analytics. She offers seminars on AI and digitalisation in healthcare.


January 2026 Health Estate Journal 75


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