TECHNOLOGY
Future technology must enhance quality of care
Architect, Martín Bentolila, of a|sh Sander Hofrichter Architekten in Hannover, argues that while technology has enabled the development of new treatments, and can significantly improve patient care and optimise time management in hospital settings, it is crucial that its adoption is not purely driven by commercial benefits, but rather responds to real need and enhances the quality of care.
The use of technology has brought about significant changes in medicine, both in medical procedures and processes and administrative procedures. Until the 19th century, hospitals were places where the sick and the poor looked for asylum, and the concept of healing was not as well understood as it is today. However, starting from that century, science began taking centre stage through significant research. Three key discoveries – bacteria as the cause of diseases, anaesthesia, and steam sterilisation – enabled the development of the modern hospital.1
Wolper suggests
that these discoveries gave rise to the modern hospital as we know it – with their implementation, coupled with continuous technological advancements, facilitating the development of modern medicine, and significantly improving the quality and effectiveness of healthcare. By the late 19th century, in most developed countries, there was a continuous investment in healthcare services, leading to significant technological expansion in both existing and newly constructed hospitals.
A new epidemiological profile The new epidemiological profile that emerged during this period is associated with improvements in healthcare infrastructure, increased healthcare expenditure, and services. It also correlated with emerging health issues linked to working conditions, the rapid growth of urban environments (especially since the 1960s), and changes in lifestyle patterns.2 In recent years, the healthcare sector has witnessed significant changes in hospital buildings and their equipment. Modern hospitals are designed to be advanced, contemporary, and flexible, anticipating future modifications, and focusing on patient-centered care, rather than disease-centric approaches. This approach has humanised hospitals, making them more welcoming and patient-friendly. In 1895, Wilhelm Röntgen discovered X-rays, and in the
intervening years, medical equipment has exponentially developed, with patient diagnosis and disease treatment increasingly relying on imaging. Among the most well- utilised medical equipment today is that used in diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy, and surgery, alongside adaptive artificial intelligence (AI) systems in healthcare. Hospitals rapidly began to be transformed from places where people went to die into facilities where treatments and diagnoses could cure diseases. When treating oncological conditions, one of the most
effective techniques to emerge has been radiation therapy. However, proton therapy has emerged as an innovative
technique in recent years, significantly improving patient quality of life and yielding beneficial health outcomes. Among the notable systems in this field is the
ProteusONE from IBA Proton Therapy – a single-room proton therapy solution that is compact, and easy to install and operate. It prioritises patient comfort while minimising the exposure of healthy tissues to radiation. Surgery, meanwhile, is seeing growing use of remote- assistance equipment such as surgical robots, which allow surgery to be undertaken without the surgeon needing to be in the same location as the patient, potentially enabling operations across different hospitals, or even countries. One of the best-known systems in this field is Intuitive Surgical’s da Vinci Surgical System, a highly sophisticated device controlled through a console within the operating room. The technology that the system incorporates enables surgeons to access hard-to-reach areas of the body, reducing patient pain, and shortening post-operative recovery times. Despite the increased use
of surgical robots in hospitals, some professionals still do not view this technology as a viable replacement for the manual dexterity of a surgeon. This is due to robots
May 2025 Health Estate Journal 31
The ProteusONE proton therapy system.
The da Vinci Surgical System.
Intuitive
IBA Proton Therapy
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