Is it a hotel or a hospital? How hospitals have improved

Trent Call — New healthcare facilities are combining top technology with creature comforts.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention notes that there are over 36 million hospital stays within the United States population each year, and that the average duration of each stay is just under five days. Although no one's likely to admit they enjoyed their hospital stay, new hospitals are aiming to provide a hotel-like experience that just might change current views.

Technology to improve the patient experience

The University Medical Center of Princeton at Plainsboro is one such facility. Experts spent $523 million to build a top-of-the-line hospital that ultimately replaced the area's older location. In addition to an advanced call system that sends healthcare providers speedily to a patient's bedside, the facility uses color-coded departments to streamline the triage process. After an incoming patient is assessed, they're sent quickly to the appropriate wing for further treatment.

The hospital also has an extensive pneumatic tube system much like those seen at drive-up banking windows. It can send lightweight items from one end of the hospital to the other in just seconds. Supply inventories are monitored by radio frequencies, so that even the smallest tools can be tracked down almost instantly, drastically cutting down on the occurrence of misplaced items.

Hospital rooms are also designed to keep essentials readily accessible. Computer terminals, medication bottles, and frequently used supplies are available in each room, allowing care providers to retrieve medication and update records without leaving a patient's side.

Keeping patients comfortable

The hospital also makes use of natural light whenever possible. Many rooms are bathed in sunlight, and the whole hospital has fresh air circulating through it. Electric lights are specially designed to be less disorienting than the fluorescent lights commonly seen in traditional hospitals, too.

In Michigan, the Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital offers patient amenities including flat-screen televisions, made-to-order food and 24-hour room service. However, hospital staff members stop short of saying that these benefits are luxurious. Instead, they feel that the perks will ultimately improve the healing process and create loyal customers.

Pampering during the final stage of pregnancy

Many hospitals are also beginning to ramp up services for expectant mothers, particularly those who visit a healthcare facility during labor and delivery. Mercy Hospital in St. Louis Missouri, allows mothers to give birth in whirlpool tubs. Also, Butterworth Hospital in Grand Rapids, Michigan has an admissions area on the ground floor so that mothers-to-be can check in right away without having to go through the emergency department.

Families are catered to as well. Alabama's Crestwood Medical Center has special suites with plenty of room for extended family members. If these trends spread, the days of fathers sitting in uncomfortable waiting room furniture, biting their nails during the delivery process, may be over. Elsewhere in the state of Alabama, the Huntsville Hospital for Women and Children has a visitation policy which extends to grandparents and siblings.

Although these types of hospitals are still relatively rare, supporters say that all the advancements can ultimately contribute to higher patient satisfaction scores, and improved care. Considering the general perception that surrounds hospital settings, these new facilities could eventually change perspectives in a big way. Only time will tell. Certainly, the trend of focusing on a patient’s entire well-being instead of just his or her ailment represents an important shift in health and safety.

 

About the Author

Trent Call writes articles in the area of education, including hotel management.programs.