Smart hospital is an emerging and fast-developing innovation in the context of a rapid increase of internet users, an increasing demand for high-quality medical resources, and an aging population worldwide. As its name implies, smart hospital generally involves the use of the optimized and automated processes built on an information and communications technology (ICT) environment, especially based on Internet of things (IoT), to offer assessment, consultation, direct treatment, services, and integrated care.
This innovation has the potential and already gained initial evidence to improve healthcare access, efficiency or even effectiveness. For instance, with the development of smart hospitals, proper medical resources can be delivered to the remote and rural areas at a more affordable price; it also helps community-level healthcare providers in optimization of diagnosis and treatment decision, thus improving rural healthcare capacity and efficiency.
Yet, along with these positive impacts and promises, a number of issues and challenges appear. For example, quality and safety issues of smart hospitals should be addressed properly via both technology and policy. Increasing concerns have risen regarding the lack of oversight and evaluation frameworks for smart hospitals. Positive and negative impacts of smart hospitals on traditional hospitals were also under-studied.
In light of the above promises and challenges of smart hospitals in its early development, the aim of this Research Topic is to capture its current status and to provide future directions in terms of technology, service, and policy. We welcome Original Research, Systematic Reviews, and evidence-driven expert Commentaries that critically assess the current status of smart hospitals and to predict and advise on its future directions. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
1. Technological innovations that are being adopted in smart hospital in order to deliver health care more effectively and efficiently
2. Various services that smart hospital can and are providing to patients
3. Benefits and challenges that smart hospital is bringing to different stakeholders such as patients, healthcare providers, pharmaceutical industry, and government
4. Policies regarding smart hospitals locally and globally
5. Guidance for the healthy and robust development of smart hospital
6. Patients’ satisfaction and concerns about smart hospital
Smart hospital is an emerging and fast-developing innovation in the context of a rapid increase of internet users, an increasing demand for high-quality medical resources, and an aging population worldwide. As its name implies, smart hospital generally involves the use of the optimized and automated processes built on an information and communications technology (ICT) environment, especially based on Internet of things (IoT), to offer assessment, consultation, direct treatment, services, and integrated care.
This innovation has the potential and already gained initial evidence to improve healthcare access, efficiency or even effectiveness. For instance, with the development of smart hospitals, proper medical resources can be delivered to the remote and rural areas at a more affordable price; it also helps community-level healthcare providers in optimization of diagnosis and treatment decision, thus improving rural healthcare capacity and efficiency.
Yet, along with these positive impacts and promises, a number of issues and challenges appear. For example, quality and safety issues of smart hospitals should be addressed properly via both technology and policy. Increasing concerns have risen regarding the lack of oversight and evaluation frameworks for smart hospitals. Positive and negative impacts of smart hospitals on traditional hospitals were also under-studied.
In light of the above promises and challenges of smart hospitals in its early development, the aim of this Research Topic is to capture its current status and to provide future directions in terms of technology, service, and policy. We welcome Original Research, Systematic Reviews, and evidence-driven expert Commentaries that critically assess the current status of smart hospitals and to predict and advise on its future directions. The topics of interest include, but are not limited to:
1. Technological innovations that are being adopted in smart hospital in order to deliver health care more effectively and efficiently
2. Various services that smart hospital can and are providing to patients
3. Benefits and challenges that smart hospital is bringing to different stakeholders such as patients, healthcare providers, pharmaceutical industry, and government
4. Policies regarding smart hospitals locally and globally
5. Guidance for the healthy and robust development of smart hospital
6. Patients’ satisfaction and concerns about smart hospital
