IHEEM West Midlands’ latest branch meeting was hosted by SSG at the company’s Design & Innovation Centre near Wolverhampton in late November 2019. Close to 30 attendees representing a cross-section of estates personnel and healthcare suppliers took part.
The CPD-certified event comprised two presentations, with attendees encouraged to share their views and experiences. The first presentation, held in the facility’s Repeatable Rooms’ four-bed bay, focused on ‘smart’ hospitals and the latest applications to help keep patients safe and empower care teams. The second presentation, held in Static Systems’ Innovation Ward, explored the impact that ward design can have on a patient’s well-being and recovery.
A common thread throughout the event was the real benefits to be achieved through collaborative working.
Smart hospitals and the future of healthcare communications
Developments in technology are influencing the way hospitals operate and enabling them to become ‘smarter’ than ever before. As part of this revolution, we are witnessing significant changes in the ways staff engage with colleagues and patients; in the delivery of mission-critical support for healthcare applications; in the importance of information technology in improving patient well-being, safety and experience; and in the ways system providers are supporting healthcare engineering teams.
Branch members met with Static Systems’ Product Manager, Matt Wakelam, who outlined the benefits of the latest nurse call and healthcare communication solutions which are already being used by forward-thinking trusts to establish patient-centred healthcare environments and universal digital healthcare platforms.
Solutions discussed and demonstrated included medical devices and sensor technologies, VoIP telephony, smart devices, RTLS systems, EPR/EMR, CCTV and access control – all of which work seamlessly with nurse call and can easily integrate into a hospital’s IP infrastructure.
The impact of interior design on patient well-being and collaborative working
Matt Clutton, another of Static Systems’ product managers, explained that the company’s focus has shifted from just being on the equipment to also being on the actual design of the ward space itself. He explained that through working with interior design specialists, Grosvenor Interiors, Static Systems has changed the way in which it has approached both the refurbishment of the Innovation Ward and the design of its latest bedhead services trunking product. Both are examples of how integrated design can enhance the patient room in order to improve well-being and assist in a speedy recovery.
Static Systems’ Marketing Manager, Jennie Terry, comments: “We engage with IHEEM as a company affiliate and are always pleased to welcome their members and colleagues to our Design & Innovation Centre. Events such as this one offer positive benefits for members including CPD and invaluable networking opportunities. Furthermore, the informality encourages the free flow of questions and feedback which I am sure is useful to everyone. As a systems provider and product manufacturer, the discussions which ensue are valuable to us in our development of future solutions.”
Static Systems Group welcomes visitors to its Design & Innovation Centre which is available for meetings and can also be used by the wider industry to test, trial and develop conceptual ideas and new solutions. For further information, e-mail: designandinnovationcentre@staticsystems.co.uk