Technology, innovation key to new Niagara Falls hospital design
Cutting-edge technology will transform and improve patient experience at the future south Niagara hospital.
But technology will not only play a crucial role once the site opens in rural southwest Niagara Falls in 2026, it’s helping officials now work through planning stages before shovels go into the ground.
Working with professional-services company KPMG and custom technology solutions provider Finger Food Advanced Technology Group,
Niagara Health is using virtual reality to visualize the facility.
It’s a big jump from using cardboard cutouts to map out floor plans, said Sime Pavlovic, chief information officer with Niagara Health.
“We have our virtual-reality goggles and, as we design spaces, we can basically do walk-throughs of actual spaces and seeing where we can place things and how this will be impacted in the future,” he said.
“It really brings our patients and our clinicians into that future-space setting visually, versus, historically, where everything was really on a two-dimensional piece of paper.”
The new hospital, he said, is being designed with the next age of innovation in mind.
Pavlovic said a significant part of planning includes designing infrastructure to support tech
nology and health-care services of the future.
“From a technology perspective, you see big data, you see 5G, you see ways of how people communicate, and we really need to embed that into our planning of the new hospital site.”
Pavlovic said smart devices and other voice technology will improve communications, automation and patient care.
“What we’re looking to implement will just streamline the way patients communicate and interact with our health-care providers.”
Pavlovic said Niagara Health will further leverage virtual technology to help patients with followup visits after procedures.
“There may be cases where you don’t physically need to go to the hospital, but you’ll be able to have that appointment virtually at your home.”
Niagara Health interim president Angela Zangari said the health system works “very closely” with partners to redefine health care in the region and “technology plays a key role in that transformation.”
“As we continue with planning, there will be opportunities for further staff and community input and feedback regarding technology enhancements in the new hospital,” she said.
“There will also be opportunities that allow our staff and the community to test and experience some of these advancements prior to the opening.”
Ideas they are working on include: linking doctors to people waiting for a family member in surgery, to provide updates and estimates on when the procedure will be done; and, using voice technology to eventually replace bedside buttons patients use to alert nursing staff.
With voice recognition, a patient could explain a problem — they want ice chips, they’re having chest pains — and staff could respond first to the most urgent calls.
Zangari said Niagara Health has made significant strides using technology to enhance lives of patients.
“We are a leader in the shift to community-based care — focusing on supporting patients with chronic diseases by helping them safely manage their conditions from the comfort of their home.”
For example, she said, the integrated comprehensive care program for chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and congestive heart failure has reduced emergency-department visits and re-admissions.
“The at-home dialysis system reduces hospital visits for our patients and allows our providers to monitor treatments remotely.
“The use of Ontario Telemedicine Network technology connects people through video with their health-care providers, therapeutic groups and other programs — providing prompt care and reducing the need for patients to travel.”