Hospitals, considered by some, to be the last step before the final resting place. You check in but never check out alive.
It was worse in the past, where you were basically sentenced to die in some of these facilities. Think mental hospital (insane), sanitarium (mainly TB (tuberculosis)), lazar hospital (leprosy) and even today with hospice (terminal cancer) where you remain till the end of “your” days.
Of the hospitalized patients that develop a serious hospital-induced infection, 80,000 will die. This large mortality number is from a bug they caught while being in situation that is supposed to nurse you back to health. Another 100,000 patients will pass away every 12 months in the hospital from employee mistakes. The process of being hospitalized is very dangerous, especially if you are already ill.
In the near future, changes are on the way that will enable more sick people to leave the institution in a “live” manner. The only downside of the future’s technologically embracing the hospital scene are the costs. These expense features will plummet as quantity demand for quality innovation forces down prices.
Coming into the patient’s room you will notice a workstation. But first, a light around the sink starts to blink colors. You must first wash your hands before the wall allows access to the computer. While washing hands, sink changes colors to indicate proper disinfection has been completed. Suddenly, the workstation is available to input or display information about the patient.
The floors of the room are composed of rubber that is waterproof. This helps to ensure easy maintenance and low bacterial counts. The material is not slippery, has a very quiet surface and reduces any damage from occupant falls.
Surfaces in the room are composed of a material that is both seamless and non-porous. This ensures ease of cleaning and keeps down microbial organisms therefore decreasing risk of infection.
There is a device located right below the ceiling extending from the occupants head to his feet. This ensures proper air conditioning, heating, humidity and noise reduction. It also includes a spatial sound system that would be geared to the patient’s music genre or for cable audio enjoyment. At bedside, there are controls for lighting, sound and comfort temperature (includes humidity settings).
Within the device above the bed is a light therapy machine. This can allow blue skies/clouds moving and allow for certain light’s wavelengths to stimulate positive moods. It can also display visual environmental breathtakingly beautiful scenery.
Looking across from the patient’s eyes towards the wall is a widescreen high-definition entertainment device. It can also be used to have a video consultation with your physician(s), view documentaries, look up hospital information, access internet sites and other educational content.
Above the patients head is the area that contains all medical equipment. It is behind pull down shelves. This makes it invisible and out of the way when not needed by the medical professionals. Inside are devices to check all the vital signs, supplies and oxygen.
There is also a wheeled device that serves as a patient companion. This futuristic table contains an adjustable flat computer, flat space for consuming meals and easy to operate slight input from the patient. There is an icon to touch for nursing assistance. There are also controls for operating the widescreen entertainment device.
Ultraviolet light is emitted whenever a panel containing a device, instrumentation and workstation is closed. This kills off any of the organisms that contaminated the surfaces while in use.
Another potential benefit to the patient is the use of robotics to function as adjuncts to hospital floor staff. These robots may resemble mechanical monsters at first, but given time will develop human-like visible features. They could serve food and drink, dispense medications and serve as responders for patient assistance buttons.
Whatever the case, hospitals will become more like places of wellness rather than “roach motels.” It would be a location where you would receive a tune-up rather than a turn-off.
Photo credit: cote / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution 2.0 Generic (CC BY 2.0)
Photo credit: cszar / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Photo credit: disneybrent / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-SA 2.0)
Photo credit: Mark Strozier / Foter / Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 2.0 Generic (CC BY-NC-ND 2.0)
Categories: Health, Science-Technology
Renovating Your Mind 
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