A collaborative effort in New York City is testing new technology in patient rooms to enhance remote monitoring to improve outcomes.
The effort, called Patient Room 2020, which includes consultants from nonprofit investment company NXT Health and construction and development company Skanska, tests out innovative technology in a space that can provide data for healthcare industry stakeholders. The initiative was launched in 2013 at the DuPont Corian Design Studio in New York City, according to a Skanska blog post.
The 'smart floor,' which the company just installed, can track a patient's or physician's movement through the room. If a patient falls, an alert goes to the closest nurse's pager. It can also track the amount of time spent with a patient to better understand physician-patient interactions in modern hospitals, according to a news release.
The room also includes an LED handwashing station that can indicate whether the caregiver is compliant with sanitation standards. The company planned it as a space to test out efficient models of healthcare delivery, so it includes wireless device charging stations, an adaptable bathroom with sliding doors that can expand the space to allow a caregiver to enter to assist the patient and temperature controls from the patient bed to allow for maximum comfort, according to the blog post.
"The project serves as an example of what design can do to address the complex challenges that face modern healthcare delivery," the blog post read. "This effort was specifically for a patient room, but the reality is that many of the ideas and outcomes can find their way into the outpatient setting and even into your home."