Hospital of the future must be "human-centric" says report

A new white paper has identified that hospitals must become more human-centric, sustainable and take a multidisciplinary approach to meet the needs of patients and the workforce in the future. 
The report states that a new model is needed for the hospital of the  future, that is efficient, flexible and environmentally responsible.  

The 70-page paper is by Tarkett, a French multinational that provides flooring to hospitals and other public buildings around the world. The research was compiled in response to the stress the COVID-19 pandemic placed on healthcare systems around the world, in an attempt to find solutions. 

The paper identified the main challenges that affect healthcare now and are likely to continue, including: 

 * An increasing demand for healthcare due to ageing, growing populations and rising chronic illness
 * The threat of future pandemics and climate change 
 * A shortage of medical staff 

 To tackle these, a deeper integration of digital technology is needed, along with more efforts to drive sustainability. Tarkett's recommendations include: 

 * Being better prepared for large-scale emergencies  
 * Empowering patients and families to allow patients a more active role in their own healthcare in  and out of the hospital, reducing hospital stays or even avoiding them. 
 * Designing for quality of life in medical facilities. This should  include the creation of healing spaces that promote privacy and give patients a sense of control over their  environment. 
 * Making hospitals great places to work to support the work of medical staff and provide them with dedicated  spaces for rest, in turn improving the patient experience.  
 * Embracing digital health technologies 
 * Smart buildings that allow medical staff to focus more on the human aspects of their work by speeding up day to-day tasks

Read the full report The Hospital of the Future: Challenges and Stakes