TECHNOLOGY
Right: Figure 1. In a 2023 patient survey in Argentina, just over 59% of respondents reported being able to change doctor or healthcare
centre to continue their treatment elsewhere.
Far right: Figure 2.
A 2023 patient survey in Argentina revealed the percentage of patients able to transfer their
electronic health records to a new healthcare provider.
Yes No
lacking the same sensitivity and capability to handle tissue pressures during surgical procedures. As surgical methods advanced into the 21st century, ‘Surgery 4.0’ emerged, characterised by image-guided procedures. This advance led to the creation of hybrid operating rooms, designed for complex surgical interventions requiring collaboration among various medical specialists. The implementation of hybrid operating rooms originated from the need to perform surgical procedures while simultaneously obtaining intraoperative diagnostic images – such as during cardiac, urological, or endovascular surgeries.3
These operating rooms are
equipped with imaging systems (digital angiography comprised of C-arms suspended from the ceiling or anchored to the floor), high-definition monitors, and image-guided navigation devices, allowing doctors to perform more precise and effective procedures. In addition, hybrid ORs are designed to offer greater flexibility in equipment configuration and instrument layout, allowing medical teams to customise the space to meet the needs of each procedure. One of their main advantages is that they allow for less invasive procedures, which can speed patient recovery and reduce the risk of complications. They also allow doctors to perform interventions in real time, which can be especially useful in emergency situations. By combining neurosurgery and MRI services,
Figure 5: Preferred healthcare ‘app’ use in Argentina.
intraoperative high-field magnetic resonance imaging (iMRI) is formed; this is a technique deployed in the operating theatre to provide detailed real-time images of the brain or spinal cord during surgery. Another option is computed tomography angiography – a medical imaging technique that combines a CT scan with the injection of a contrast dye to visualise blood vessels and assess blood flow, which is used to help diagnose conditions such as blockages, aneurysms, and
Yes No
other vascular issues. Simplifying undertaking the various types of imaging that patients may need during surgery, the combination of the two rooms provides greater patient safety, and improves clinical workflows. By linking the two rooms, trauma patients can be managed in one room, and interventions can be performed without having to move them throughout the hospital.
The digital hospital Information and communication technologies (ICT) have revolutionised society since the telegraph in 1843, and significantly improved daily life throughout the ‘80s and ‘90s. In the healthcare sector, ICT has optimised the management, exchange, and communication, of information, enabling remote diagnostics and monitoring, thereby transforming hospital structures. Advances in this field include Hospital Information
Systems (HIS), Picture Archiving and Communication Systems (PACS/RIS), and Electronic Health Records (EHR). Initially focused on administrative management, recent efforts have targeted the digitalisation of professional tools, and especially EHR systems, aiming to innovate healthcare delivery models. According to a patient survey conducted in 2023 in
Argentina, 59.1% of respondents successfully changed doctors or healthcare centres to continue treatment elsewhere (see Figure 1). A separate 2023 patient survey in the same south American country identified that just 27.9% of respondents had been able to transfer their electronic health records to their new healthcare provider (Figure 2). Among the consequences of the lack of EHR adoption were patients being forced to repeat tests, and an impact on continuity of care, resulting in duplicated examinations, diagnostic errors, and treatment delays. Implementing EHR systems is crucial for quality healthcare. Meanwhile, a patient survey in Germany during 2023
WhatsApp Zoom
provider Other 14 (12.1%) 0 20 32 Health Estate Journal May 2025 40 60 80
Platform health
61 (52.6%) 45 (38.8%) 66 (56.9%)
found that 73.5% of respondents had managed to change doctor or hospital to continue their treatment (Figure 3), while another in Germany, the same year, revealed that 66.7% of the patients surveyed had successfully transferred their health records (Figure 4). Technology has also introduced minimally invasive
surgical techniques and telemedicine, improving efficiency and quality of care, while acknowledging that personal interaction remains crucial. The COVID-19 pandemic has significantly impacted hospitals globally, altering daily tasks and processes. Telemedicine has been widely adopted for consultations and treatment follow-ups, offering benefits such as reduced infection risk, time and cost savings, and improved efficiency and accessibility to healthcare services. However, challenges include the need for appropriate technology, and training for staff. Many professionals, such as surgeons and ophthalmologists,
59.1%
40.9%
27.9%
72.1%
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