Today we want to find out about the most important developments and challenges in hospital engineering and medical equipment, the changes in the healthcare landscape and what the healthcare industry is facing.
© i3 Ingenieros. Clínica Oftalmológica IOA (Madrid – Spain)
Hospital engineering: a growing discipline
Hospital engineering combines engineering, architecture and medicine in order to improve efficiency and safety, comfort for patients and healthcare staff.
In recent decades, great advances have been made globally, always with the focus on the introduction of state-of-the-art technologies in the design, construction and equipment of hospitals. Modern hospitals are designed for today and tomorrow by maximising efficiency in patient care through the use of state-of-the-art materials, devices and technologies. We are talking about cleaning systems, living comfort, operating theatres, etc.
In particular, advanced medical equipment, such as CT scans and MRIs, the promotion of information technologies (ICT) and the development of new materials and designs/aesthetics of medical devices, such as technical panels, columns, headboards… In our case, we are manufacturers of hospital equipment for hospitalisation areas, critical areas and surgical block for public and private hospitals all over the world.
These elements are particularly noteworthy in helping to improve the patient experience and complete more comfortable and accessible facilities, adopting a holistic approach to medical care.
© tedisel medical. QPANEL + HERMES. Hospital Rey Juan Carlos (Madrid – Spain)
Unstoppable progress
Going into more detail, some of the most recent developments in this area include:
- Information and communication technologies (ICT): Hospitals are increasingly connected for better information management and efficient decision-making.
- Tracking and monitoring systems: Enabling faster and more accurate care in case of emergency through telemedicine and interconnectivity thanks to wearables, home health gadgets and other elements.
- Automation systems: Automation systems, such as robots and medical devices with Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence, are helping to reduce the number of human errors and increase efficiency in hospitals.
- Cutting-edge equipment: There is a firm commitment to bring cutting-edge hospital equipment to hospitals, always with the study, ergonomic design and efficiency of the work areas for the comfort of the patient, the medical team and the technical service.
The greatest challenges in hospital engineering
Beyond the advances and progress that we can see, we also find challenges, obstacles and barriers in hospital engineering, such as:
- Lack of access to quality health care services in rural and low-income areas.
- Lack of funding and rising cost of health care
- The paradigm shift to sustainability
- Problems in integrating and implementing new technologies
- Challenges of security, cybersecurity and access to information with the Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)
- Balancing efficiency and quality
© tedisel medical. Clínica Girona (Girona – Spain)
What does the present and the future hold?
At Tedisel Medical we are aware that hospital engineering is evolving rapidly, in a constant search for solutions that improve efficiency, safety and quality in hospitals.
“There are also major challenges to be addressed, such as financing, integration, safety and the integration of the latest medical equipment.”
© tedisel medical. Hospital Latorre (Soria – Spain)