Health systems are betting big money on smart technology to streamline workflow and improve quality of care.
Some systems, including Columbus, Ohio-based OhioHealth, have already incorporated full smart rooms at some facilities, areas equipped with intelligent technologies and ambient sensors to monitor patient activity and streamline care interactions. Others are investing millions of dollars to test and hone smart technology alongside third-party companies.
Related: Multiple health systems join $47M Hellocare.ai funding round
Cincinnati-based Bon Secours Mercy Health and Aurora, Colorado-based UCHealth joined other systems earlier this month in a $47 million Series A funding round for Hellocare.ai, a virtual care company that offers a platform to assist clinicians with patient monitoring, ambient documentation and other use cases.
Health systems and partner companies view smart technology as one answer in an industry still struggling with staff shortages and high patient demand.
Here's a look at how smart technology works and why systems think it will pay off.
What is a smart room?
Systems define smart rooms in different ways.
A smart room is often anchored by a large screen, which works as a TV but also a digital whiteboard visible to anyone in the room that provides information about the care team, medications, pain levels, dietary restrictions and other factors. High-definition cameras monitor a patient’s movements and enable video communication. Patients use tablets to watch movies, make requests and find educational materials.
Digital signage outside the door alerts the care team to basic safety-related information, such as whether there is a fall risk or known allergies, before they enter the room.
The devices are often integrated with the health system’s electronic health records.
What systems are using them?
Many systems have begun using smart rooms — or at least smart technology — to improve patient care.
OhioHealth, for example, has 72 medical-surgical smart rooms and another 12 in labor and delivery, said Duane Perry, chief nursing officer at Pickerington Methodist Hospital. The rooms came online when OhioHealth opened the hospital in late 2023.
UCHealth is finishing the proof-of-concept stage for smart room technology. It is testing virtual fall prevention and video/voice communication with Hellocare.ai. If all goes well, UCHealth hopes to expand those capabilities, Chief Innovation Officer Dr. Richard Zane said.
Other systems using the technology include Bon Secours Mercy Health, Hackensack Meridian Health, Mount Sinai Health System, Jefferson Health and Houston Methodist.
Are they expensive?
OhioHealth’s Perry estimated each smart room costs $13,000 to $15,000 to install the technology. Other systems declined to provide cost estimates.
Smart rooms can cost even more than that and the expense can vary widely based on the technology in use, where it is installed and how many rooms are equipped. It’s generally easier to install the technology in a new building rather than retrofitting an existing space, said Dr. Mark Townsend, chief clinical digital ventures officer at Bon Secours Mercy Health.
What are the benefits to patients?
A big selling point for smart rooms is the positive impact on care quality and patient experience.
Cameras are used to virtually monitor patients, which can help prevent falls and subsequent injuries. The TV screens and tablets give patients quick access to clinical information without having to wait for a clinician to come into the room.
Convenience is another factor.
“Technology has become a part of the way [patients] navigate,” Perry said. “We know the consumer is really starting to expect it and demand it.”
Jefferson Health, which doesn’t have smart rooms but does incorporate smart technology at the Honickman Center, a multispecialty outpatient facility, developed a virtual checkout process that allows patients to check out from their exam room to avoid congestion at the front desk and maintain privacy. A spokesperson said that tool has been used more than 120,000 times and resulted in roughly 86,000 follow-up appointments.
What are the benefits to providers?
Quantifying monetary returns can be challenging in the early stages of new technology, but health systems say they do see progress in safety, quality, efficiency and experience.
Smart rooms, and the virtual care components that come along with them, can improve communication and continuity of care. They can also create a smoother work environment for employees.
UCHealth's Zane said the system's larger virtual health strategy has led to fewer sepsis deaths, falls, unanticipated intubations and readmissions.
"When we can discharge a patient sooner and safer, it's a return on investment," Zane said. “How do we allow humans to do what humans have to do? How do we make their time more efficient and their decision-making safer and more accurate? That’s really the goal of all of this."
From a financial standpoint, reducing patient falls cuts down on additional expenses for treating fall-related injuries. Having a healthier work environment can lead to less turnover, meaning employers avoid the costs of recruiting and onboarding new employees.
What are some of the challenges?
A big challenge with installing smart rooms is keeping up with the rapid pace of change in technology.
Bon Secours Mercy opened Kings Mills Hospital in Mason, Ohio, last year with some smart technology, but the health system intends to take the strategy a step further with a smart unit at the new Harbour View Medical Center opening in May in Suffolk, Virginia, Townsend said.
Bon Secours is working with Hellocare.ai, Philips and others to keep the technology up to date, he said.
“If we purchase equipment outright and install it outright, what we’re getting into is essentially outdated equipment within a year or two,” Townsend said. “[Kings Mills] taught us that we’re going to need to stay current with the technology.”
The cost factor can be another challenge, depending on a health system’s resources.
Getting patients on board with the technology can also be a hurdle, though the systems say patients have responded favorably to the new capabilities.
Correction: An earlier version of this story incorrectly said OhioHealth is based in Cleveland.
