Introduction
The advancement of the technologies used in hospitals throughout the nation for the sake of minimizing errors and improving patient outcomes is the focus of the Intelligent Hospital Pavilion. As such, it introduces solutions that make care easier for providers and enable new approaches to care. The 2014 ICU section aimed to add automation and security to the environment. It did so by reducing the possibility of human error, making it easier to send samples for testing, and compiling data for display on a central monitor locally or remotely. The technology likely has some benefits, but there are specific risks attached to it that prevent a complete endorsement.
Benefits
The improved automation reduces the possibility of an accident or a mistake by the patient’s caretakers. Electronic health records store the complete medical information of each patient and can reproduce it quickly and accurately. Furthermore, the sample delivery system demonstrated by Halpern (2014) can automatically enter data into the EHR, making data collection and management more effortless. The readings of the instruments can be logged into the system in real time, as well.
As such, this approach can result in improved operational efficiency, reducing the costs of operating intensive care units. Combined with potential safety enhancement, the improvement appears to be significant.
The ability to transfer information elsewhere also has another benefit that warrants discussion. Halpern (2014) proposes the idea of transmitting a patient’s readings to a remote location, where they can be monitored by specialists. The continued surveillance would help identify any abnormalities that should be addressed as soon as possible. However, the study by Kahn et al. (2016) does not identify a significant benefit to the usage of telemedicine in hospital ICUs, at least with regards to mortality. There is considerable variance that may be attributed to differences in implementation, but overall, further evidence is necessary to establish the scope of the technology’s influence.
Risks
While there are some benefits to increased automation, the complications that may arise from the removal of people from care processes should be considered. Halpern (2014) describes a pump that can set its settings according to the instructions provided in the database. If the worker who renews the patient’s IV fluid bag does not check the pump’s settings due to their automatic adjustment, he or she will not notice if the instructions are faulty. The same tendency is possible for other aspects of care, as well. As such, the patient’s well-being and life may be endangered by errors in the system or faulty instructions due to a lack of safeguards.
There is also no guarantee that an automatic system can keep operating indefinitely. Halpern (2014) endorses the replacement of traditional stethoscopes with bedside sonogram machines. However, in the case of a power outage, some or all of the electric systems would likely cease operating. If there are no viable mechanical alternatives available, the patients could be in danger. VanDevanter, Raveis, Kovner, McCollum, and Keller (2017) identify power outages as one of the significant issues that complicated nurses’ patient evacuation efforts during Hurricane Sandy. Increased reliance on electronic tools would complicate the matter further, especially as natural disasters are unpredictable and unavoidable.
Adoption
The technology showcased in the ICU section of the Intelligent Hospital Pavilion offers two primary benefits: improved operational efficiency and enhanced patient safety. The first upgrade will be beneficial to medical care facilities, enhancing their ability to process large numbers of patients and offer quality care. Rural institutions will benefit more than the rest, as they can request the aid of remote specialists if people who work at the site are not competent to address the specific issue. The convenience and the potential improvement in care outcomes deserve careful consideration and form a basis for the support of the technology.
However, while electronic solutions should be implemented in intensive care units, they should not replace traditional, mechanical and person-based care methods. If used as supplemental tools, they will enhance the productivity of workers and potentially prevent some mistakes. However, care providers should be competent in the provision of care under a variety of conditions, including the lack of electricity for whatever reason.
Furthermore, nurses should monitor the various devices for abnormalities and errors to prevent possible mistakes from harming the patients. Technology-based solutions are not reliable enough to replace personal care, and users should be aware of the fact and work to improve their capabilities.
Conclusion
The ICU section of the Intelligent Hospital Pavilion offered a variety of technology-based additions to the patient’s bedside. The new instruments offered easier monitoring, improved efficiency, prevention of human error, and the potential for the streaming of instrument readings to a remote location. However, the automated tools will likely not be checked by workers, allowing software or input errors to potentially harm the patient.
They also require electricity and will probably stop working in the case of a power outage, a situation that is already challenging for nurses. As such, while they should be adopted, they should not replace existing methods, and workers should monitor them carefully.
References
Halpern, N. (2014). The ICU at the 2014 Intelligent Hospital™ Pavilion. Web.
Kahn, J. M., Le, T. Q., Barnato, A. E., Hravnak, M., Kuza, C. C., Pike, F., & Angus, D. C. (2016). ICU telemedicine and critical care mortality: A national effectiveness study. Medical Care, 54(3), 319-325.
VanDevanter, N., Raveis, V. H., Kovner, C. T., McCollum, M., & Keller, R. (2017). Challenges and resources for nurses participating in a Hurricane Sandy hospital evacuation. Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 49(6), 635-643.