When a cart of supplies is introduced to the towline, its RFID tag is registered into the system along with its ultimate destination. From there, the system monitors its progress and as the cart gets to various intersections along the route, the system reads the cart's ID and routes it to the proper destination, Iati says.

A separate patient tracking system in the ORs and procedure rooms will allow staff to time-stamp patient movement throughout the perioperative process and to communicate the location and status at any point, from check-in through prep and surgery to recovery, explains Becky Qualey, a systems development manager for the Department of Surgery.


A "status" camera in each operating room will allow coordinators at the OR control desk to instantly check the stage and progress of each case. This will improve flow and save time by letting coordinators know when exactly to send in a cleaning crew and prep the room for the next case.

Surgical staff will have quick and easy access to blood supply for planned and emergency transfusions. The blood will be stocked and refilled daily in a set of vending machines, or blood safes, strategically positioned in OR hallways.

Operating Theater Goes Virtual

The AV integration system will allow surgeries to be telecast to other locations in the hospital, providing fellow surgeons and trainees the chance to observe a surgery remotely and to ask the surgical team questions in real time.

Technology Redefining the Patient Experience

Repeated alarms, beeps and overhead pages have become a defining feature of daily hospital life. Yet incessant noise does not only interfere with workflow by distracting staff and desensitizing them to alarms, but a growing body of research suggests it may impede patient recovery. Noise-reduction has become a central component in improving the patient experience.

The new building offers a quieter, more tranquil environment with the use of noise-reducing and noise-eliminating innovations. For example, decentralized nursing stations will diffuse the din that tends to occur when many people converge at a central hub. Instead of a central nursing station in the middle of the floor, nursing alcoves are sprinkled throughout the floor and positioned between patient rooms.

Sound-absorbing ceiling tiles reduce noise, while strategically positioned sound dispersers, called acoustical soft fits, are suspended from the ceiling to intercept sound as it travels down the hallway. In addition, rubberized floors in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) muffle walking sounds and noises generated by equipment moves.

More HCB News