South Korea’s smart hospital of tomorrow leads the region
One of the world’s premier examples of a smart hospital is South Korea’s Samsung Medical Centre (SMC).
It received the highest Stage 7 validation for HIMSS adoption Model for Analytics Maturity, the first provider in the Asia-Pacific region to achieve this accomplishment. It is also the only hospital in the world to reach HIMSS Quadruple Stage 7, through its validations in Infrastructure Adoption Model, Electronic Medical Record Adoption Model, and Digital Imaging Adoption Model. SMC exhibits a strong focus on data integration through its Data-based Operation and Communication Center (DOCC), which integrates operating rooms and medical equipment to help bring patients the right resources at the right time.
Hospitals across the Asia–Pacific region (APAC) are following their lead. They are open to technology and innovation that isn’t typically associated with the healthcare industry. Even areas that are considered “developing” are exhibiting high levels of care quality and innovation. Some of the key features of these smart hospitals include:
- Stable core infrastructure
- Digitization of information
- Mobile integrated solutions
- System automation
- Unified communication systems
- Interoperability of systems
1. The clinician experience is central to improved outcomes
While EHR adoption and increased digitalization have improved care quality and operational efficiency, the risks associated with implementations that do not center the user can be significant. Poor EHR usability, high volumes of system alerts, and excessive time spent on documentation can exacerbate cognitive overload and have been associated with burnout.
In the APAC region, many hospitals are navigating these challenges, with some implementing EMRs for the first time. While younger physicians and clinicians are generally more comfortable and fluid with EMR-based documentation, they can still experience overload and burnout. Poor usability is associated with higher rates of surgical patient mortality and readmission.
Rong-Min Baek, a reconstructive surgeon and president of South Korea’s fully digital Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, one of the world’s earliest completely paperless hospitals, says that when properly implemented, digital systems should lead to improved efficiency in data entry and administration and less human error.
When leaders of smart hospitals prioritize harmonized data, their organizations can make progress in relieving burnout and supporting an improved clinician experience.
2. Smart hospitals have a culture of evidence-based clinical decision support
Effective clinical decision support tools are essential to a smart hospital and can even help bridge gaps when culture might prevent optimal adoption. Effective CDS tools have three key traits:
- Trustworthy and reliable: Information is created by experts in their field. References and citations are transparent and readily available.
- Actionable at the point-of-care: Clinicians can access practical recommendations that are grounded in evidence, quickly and easily.
- Fit with clinician workflows: Clinicians experience minimal disruption to patient care workflows when using the systems.
The APAC region deals with some cultural issues which are often more common with senior physicians. More experienced physicians who were trained in a paper-based culture or even a more rigid and hierarchical medical environment might be slower to adopt digital clinical decision support. They can be hesitant to access the support of CDS tools in front of peers or patients. In some cases, patients can even be less receptive to physicians who appear unsure because of a need to refer to an outside source.
However, they can still be swayed by the benefits when CDS is used optimally—including improved outcomes, time saved, and improved experiences using electronic systems. These attitudes can naturally shift for both patients and physicians in a modern environment where patients are better informed and are more receptive to collaborative decision-making.
