DIGITAL HOSPITAL ; AN EXAMPLE OF BEST PRACTICE

Abstract

Digital Hospital is a concept contributing to enhancing personnel

productivity, facilitating hospital operations, improving the process quality

and ensuring patient safety by integrating cutting-edge technologies such as

medical devices, smart information systems, facility control and automatic

conveyor systems, location-based services, sensors and digital

communication tools into health processes. The primary aim of this study is

to address the theoretical and practical aspects of “Digital (paperless)

hospital” concept, which is addressed in a limited number of studies, and

investigate the digital hospital practices of Izmir Tire Public Hospital and

Giresun Tirebolu Public Hospital, which entered into the list of top digital

hospitals in Europe as examples of best practices. The study was prepared

based on the interviews with the managers of Tire Public Hospital and

Tirebolu Public Hospital awarded with digital hospital certificates by

HIMMS (International Accrediting Agency) in 2016.

18 hospitals received “Stage 6” and one hospital (Tire Public Hospital)

received the top-level “Stage 7” digital hospital certificate, which was

awarded to four hospitals in Europe by 2016 in Turkey. In the hospital

transforming into a top level digital hospital and offering services with this

concept; speed and efficiency of business processes increase, paper and

document expenses are cut to zero, human-made errors are minimized.

Diagnosis and treatment processes are provided not only within the hospital

walls but also to long distances. By the help of digital hospitals health data

are immediately and retrospectively retrieved at any time by the authorized

body, other health institutions and patients and can be forwarded via

sensors, cameras and early warning systems without requiring follow-up by

humans, fast and right decisions can be given thanks to decision support

systems, and the right medicine is administered to the right patient, at right

doses and at the right time by the Closed Loop Drug Delivery System. With

the widespread access to digital hospitals, it will be possible to benefit from

all these advantages and offer the most effective and efficient healthcare

services to the patients within the shortest time. Hospital personnel will have

less workload and be less likely to make mistakes.

Keywords

• Digital Hospital,e-Health,Smart Hospital

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