The system provides caregivers with an additional hour and 34 minutes of care time for each patient.
Imagine a hospital where patients' vital signs are monitored instantly and staff are alerted to any significant changes so they can react within seconds. Crown Medical Center (MMC) in Malaysia is one such hospital.
“The devices used to monitor blood pressure, pulse rate and body temperature are directly connected to the hospital's system,” MMC chief executive Teo Chin Yee told Healthcare Asia.
The hospital’s smart ward system, developed by the hospital’s nursing informatization team and information technology experts, is also connected to electronic medical records.
“The system reduces manual input by caregivers, which not only saves time but also minimizes the risk of human error,” Teo said. “While the investment in this is much higher, we will not charge additional fees.”
Zhang said the smart wards are mainly for patients undergoing surgery or radiation therapy. Each patient can interact with the system using a bedside terminal (tablet) to request requests such as water.
Each bed is equipped with an e-paper display that informs caregivers of the patient's condition, such as whether they are at high risk for falls or have specific eating habits.
Teo, who started out as a medical laboratory scientist at MMC, said this saved nursing staff 37% of their time, providing an additional hour and 34 minutes of care for each patient. “We also track the overall experience, and 90% of patients report being more satisfied with smart wards.”
These terminals allow doctors to show X-rays to patients at their bedside. “It also allows them to track their operational schedule,” Teo said.
But she noted that the shift to integrated processes like smart wards also comes with challenges, including bridging the gap between IT professionals and health care staff. “Another challenge is training our nursing team, which consists of approximately 300 to 400 nurses.”
Although most beds in MMC have not yet been converted into smart wards, the system has been installed on the computers in each ward, requiring nursing staff from different departments to adapt.
To overcome these challenges, Teo said the center collaborated with Taiwan's Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, which inspired MMC's smart ward process. “Chang Gung Gung Memorial Hospital shared its expertise and provided IT experts to help us complete this project.”
Teo said they are also working with MMC’s sister hospital in Johor to test the adaptability of the system. “We have to make sure that the processes and plans we design work for both agencies.”
MMC has eight wards, all of which will be converted into smart wards within 18 months.
Teo said the Malacca-based hospital plans to evolve into a smart facility and go beyond next-generation wards. “We have already started the smart operating room project.”
Given the complexity of scheduling surgeries, she noted that most surgeries are done almost manually. “It mostly involves managing staff, allocating equipment and coordinating physician schedules.”
“The next phase of the operating room plan is to synchronize these processes,” Teo said. “It will also be integrated with our central sterile services department. The project should be ready within two years.
