GCC countries to pioneer the implementation of integrated digital hospitals

DUBAI- Technology improves the efficacy of communication between hospital care givers in order to ensure the quality of patient care. This is essential given the often complex and multifaceted nature of the tasks associated with care delivery and planning in healthcare environments. Healthcare institutions in the GCC are now transforming into digital hospitals in order to facilitate healthcare delivery, ultimately ensuring the quality and safety of the care that their patients receive.

Speaking at the Architect’s Congress during the Hospital Build & Infrastructure Middle East Exhibition & Congress from 2-4 June 2014 in Dubai, UAE, Mr Mounir Marhaba, Program Director, King Khalid Medical City, Saudi Arabia, will deliberate the emergence of digital hospitals in the GCC and whether the region is ready to embrace the technology available.

According to Mr Marhaba, “The GCC is investing heavily in its healthcare services infrastructure and the region stands poised to take full advantage of becoming the pioneer in implementing integrated digital hospitals. Even if the vision, know-how, and financial investments are in place, the road to excellent patient care will not be cheap. The development of digital hospitals is becoming more of a critical reality than a luxury.”

Healthcare delivery is a complex business sectors that involve multiple interactions among multiple stakeholders. Current research indicates that a well‐planned, fully integrated digital hospitals can simplify staff workflow, reduce waste, and increase caregiver efficiency throughout numerous departments within a hospital.

Electronic health records (EHR) and other digital technologies collectively have the potential to improve patient outcomes. This will help hospitals identify and track infections, prevent medication errors and other adverse events, while alerting physicians to their patient’s drug interactions and other problems.

“The King Khalid Medical City (KKMC) Project is likely to be the largest project in the world to utilize Building Information Modeling (BIM) extensively in its design process. This type of intelligent 3D modeling improves the design and construction process and, ultimately, the operation of the facility and the quality of patient care down-the-line,” added Mr Marhaba.