Clinical engineering
different screens to make up their mind on a situation. They want to see it in a condensed way. “And if we do that, with a piece of software running on a standard PC, why not also have that outside of the room, so we don’t have to go into the room for every little checkup or interaction. If we see that the patient is sleeping, why not silence an alarm, or make a change on an alarm setting, from outside of the room?” The aim, he explained, is to create “secure alarm distribution” and a true “Silent ICU”. Technology has already been developed in collaboration with Ascom, which ensures: l Less missed alarms. l Faster reaction to critical situations. l Less stress for the patient. l The integration of real-time data to provide clinical context to alarms.
Michael Wilkening highlighted that today’s system architectures in patient monitoring systems have shown little progress since the 1980s and this needs to change. Embedded software or operating systems lag behind state-of-the-art cybersecurity updates, the monitoring network is not designed for bi- directional device-to-device communication, high integration effort is required for signal-processing hardware and software in proprietary modules, and high integration effort is required for new parameters and features in the user interface software. Furthermore, the central station is limited to data provided by the patient monitor. Ultimately, he believes that digital
transformation in acute care must include: l Virtual monitoring in pre- and post-clinical settings
l AI-driven predictive analytics l Hardware-agnostic software applications and user interfaces
l Standardised, open data infrastructures l More wireless, wearable sensors
He added that artificial intelligence in acute care requires the distribution of standardised high- quality data and the deployment in real-time, medical-grade digital ecosystems. But there is a fundamental difference between a Service- oriented Device Connectivity (SDC) interface and a true SDC-based open ecosystem. He concluded that we must establish proper connectivity before implementing AI. While AI won’t replace clinicians, healthcare professionals using AI will replace those who don’t.
The New Hospital Programme Nata Zaman, the Deputy Director of Equipping, for the New Hospital Programme (NHP), went on to provide an insight into one of the largest
main contractors (ventilation, sinks, medical gases)
2. Group 2: Equipment fitted to building fabric, selected by hospitals (MRI, CT scanners, pendants)
3. Group 3: Moveable equipment affecting design (beds requiring specific corridor widths)
4. Group 4: Smaller consumables impacting storage space design
Michael Wilkening
She emphasised that considerations around equipment need to be discussed at the very outset, as this can influence the design of the infrastructure – large capital equipment such as MRI scanners, for example, place specific demands on the estate. Expensive mistakes, such as having to remove walls in order to gain access, must be avoided at all costs. “At the start of the programme, there was a
tendency to focus on the buildings, but what I have tried to introduce is the importance of the technology and equipment used in the buildings – the building on its own is just a shell. It only becomes a hospital once you have put the equipment in,” Nata Zaman pointed out. She warned that equipping “must not be an
Nata Zaman
While AI won’t replace clinicians, healthcare professionals using AI will replace those who don’t.
infrastructure programmes in the UK. She outlined how clinical engineers can be part of the discussion in the equipping of these new hospitals to ensure a successful outcome. The New Hospital Programme started with a manifesto commitment to build 40 new hospitals but was later expanded to include RAAC (Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete) hospitals that needed urgent replacement. The aim of the programme is to standardise as much of the design of the hospitals as possible, in order to be able to build them faster, cheaper and more effectively. The programme is being rolled out in ‘waves’, while equipment is divided into four groups: 1. Group 1: Infrastructure equipment installed by
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www.clinicalservicesjournal.com I December 2025
afterthought” but a fundamental element that influences every stage of a hospital’s design and lifecycle. It is not just the large capital equipment that influences the infrastructure, however; even equipment at the consumables level can impact the hospital design, as sufficient storage space needs to be built into the architectural plans. “If these new hospitals don’t have the
right storage space, you’re going to have the problems we face in our current hospitals – where boxes are lined up in corridors, and pallet trucks are sitting in the basement,” she commented. Having a central asset register will also be
invaluable in equipping the new hospitals, she pointed out. However, many hospitals still lack this, which needs to be addressed. “There’s still a lot of work to be done to build up that foundational knowledge because that will inform what you are going to transfer to your new hospital. What are you currently using? What are you going to transfer? What are you going to buy and what is changing?” she commented. Training will also be key, and clinical engineers will have an important role to play, as Nata Zaman explained: “The staff will need to learn how to work in the new environment; then you are going add to that all the new equipment you are going to buy for these new hospitals. What we need to do is introduce some of the training before they go into this new environment, so you don’t overload the
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