How BIM and Smart Building Technology Can Transform Healthcare

?As a smart building technology advisor, I attended the HCD Healthcare Design Expo & Conference New Orleans to?better understand how BIM and smart building technology can help transform the healthcare industry.??

In this blog post, I want to share some of the key insights and takeaways from the sessions and workshops I attended, and also introduce you to Ensemble , a professional resource that can help firms execute projects more efficiently and effectively.?

First, Building Information Modeling (BIM) is a process of creating and managing digital representations of physical and functional characteristics of buildings and infrastructure. BIM enables collaboration, coordination, and communication among different stakeholders involved in the design, construction, and operation of healthcare facilities. BIM also allows for data-driven decision making, simulation, optimization, and performance analysis of various aspects of healthcare buildings, such as energy efficiency, indoor environmental quality, infection control, safety, security, and accessibility.?

One of the main themes of the conference was how BIM and smart building technology can enable better patient outcomes, improve productivity of clinicians, and help healthcare organizations meet their business objectives.??

Here are some of the examples and benefits that were discussed:?

• BIM can help create patient-centered environments that support healing, comfort, privacy, and dignity. For instance, BIM can help design spaces that optimize natural light, views, acoustics, ventilation, and temperature for patients. BIM can also help customize rooms and furniture to suit the needs and preferences of different patient groups, such as children, seniors, or differently disabled.?
• BIM can help improve workflow efficiency and reduce errors and waste in healthcare processes. For example, BIM can help optimize the layout and circulation of spaces to minimize travel distances and waiting times for staff and patients. BIM can also help integrate systems and equipment to facilitate information exchange and coordination among different departments and teams. BIM can also help automate and standardize tasks and procedures to reduce human errors and variability.?
• BIM can help enhance the resilience and adaptability of healthcare facilities to cope with changing demands and challenges. For instance, BIM can help design flexible and modular spaces that can be easily reconfigured or expanded to accommodate different functions or capacities. BIM can also help simulate and test different scenarios and contingencies to prepare for emergencies or disasters. BIM can also help monitor and maintain the performance and condition of buildings and infrastructure to prevent failures or disruptions.?

Where I leaned in.

One of the specific topics that I found very interesting was how patient room technology can enable better provider productivity. Patient room technology refers to the devices, systems, and applications that are used in patient rooms to support clinical care delivery, such as monitors, sensors, cameras, tablets, smart TVs, voice assistants, etc.

Patient room technology can have various benefits for all building occupants clinicians providers, such as:?

• Patient room technology can help improve clinical documentation and communication. For instance, patient room technology can help capture vital signs, symptoms, medications, interventions, outcomes, etc., automatically or with voice commands, and transmit them to the electronic health record (EHR) system. Patient room technology can also help communicate with other providers or specialists remotely via video conferencing or messaging.?
• Patient room technology can help enhance clinical decision making and quality of care. For example, patient room technology can help provide real-time alerts, reminders, feedback, guidance, recommendations, etc., based on clinical protocols or best practices. Patient room technology can also help access relevant information or resources from the EHR system or other sources.?
• Patient room technology can help increase patient engagement and satisfaction. For example, patient room technology can help educate patients about their condition or treatment plan using interactive multimedia or gamification. Patient room technology can also help entertain patients with personalized content or services.?

These are just some of the ways that patient room technology can enable better provider productivity.?

Of course, there are also challenges and barriers to overcome, such as data interoperability, security, privacy, cost, training, and culture change. While not scientifically significant, many of the clinicians that I spoke with believe that the potential benefits outweigh the risks and that patient room technology is an important component of healthcare design.?

This said, I am confident that BIM and smart building technology are not enough to ensure the success of healthcare projects.?

There are also factors that affect the execution and delivery of healthcare projects, such as project management, team collaboration, risk management, quality control, cost control, and stakeholder satisfaction.?

That's where Ensemble comes in.?

Ensemble is a global consulting and engineering firm that delivers innovative and cost-effective solutions for the Architecture + Design industry using thoughtful technology and methods. With offices worldwide and a curated global collection of passionate Storytellers, Designers and Architects to enable some of the most discerning brands, to deliver their brand promise. Ensemble integrates physical, digital and human elements to create immersive and memorable brand experiences in the built environment.

?Some of the services that Ensemble clients appreciate most:?

• ?Project planning: helping firms define their project scope, goals, objectives, deliverables, schedule, budget, resources, risks, etc.?
• Project execution: helping firms implement their project plan using BIM and building technology as well as other methods and techniques.?
• Project monitoring: helping firms track their project progress using key performance indicators (KPIs), metrics, dashboards, reports, etc.?
• Project control: helping firms manage any changes or issues that arise during their project using change management processes, issue management processes, risk management processes, quality management processes, cost management processes, etc.?
• Project closure: helping firms finalize their project deliverables, hand over their project outcomes, evaluate their project performance, capture their project lessons learned, celebrate their project success, etc.?

By working with the global team of experts at Ensemble, our clients benefit from:?

• ?Improved project quality: ensuring that the project meets or exceeds the expectations of the clients and other stakeholders.?
• Increased project efficiency: reducing the time and cost of the project while maximizing the value and benefits of the project.?
• Enhanced project effectiveness: achieving the desired outcomes and impacts of the project on the patients, clinicians, and healthcare organizations.?
• Strengthened project team: building a cohesive, collaborative, and competent project team that can work together to overcome any challenges or opportunities that arise during the project.?

These are just some of the examples of how BIM and building technology are enabling better patient outcomes in healthcare facilities by supporting evidence-based design, intelligent buildings, clinician productivity and space utilization.? I was impressed by the innovative projects and best practices that were showcased at the conference and certainly enjoyed networking with other professionals who share a passion for improving healthcare delivery through design and technology.?

In future blogs, I will take a deep dive on some of the specific topics that I introduced here, such as patient room technology, BIM best practices, and how leading firms like are approaching healthcare.

As a building technologists, and the head of client solutions in the healthcare, mixed use and large-scale residential practice areas at Ensemble, the Heathcare Design Conference helped confirm how BIM and thoughtful building technology can create better buildings, but also for creating better health and well-being for the people who occupy them.        

Let's build something amazing.