*Proposed*
Hospitals of the Future
Picture this: You’re sitting at your desk when your phone pings. A text alert reveals anomalies in the bloodwork your doctor ordered at your last checkup. You see in your patient portal that you’ve already been scheduled for a follow-up visit at a nearby hospital—and your parking space has been reserved.
After you enter the hospital lobby through an inconspicuous security checkpoint, your phone buzzes again:
As you make your way to the appropriate waiting room, you pass several pieces of nature-inspired wall art; landscaped courtyards for patients, staff, and visitors; and signs directing visitors to the bright and airy behavioral health wing nearby. Continuing on, you spot a security dog and its handler, as well as the entrance to a swanky lounge where nurses, doctors, and other frontline staff can collaborate, grab lunch, or even take a nap.
Once you reach the right suite and take a seat, sensors notify the doctor and nurses of your arrival. Your smartphone alerts:
A medical professional will see you now.
Following additional tests, your doctor determines that surgery is needed. The surgical team—including a physician located 500 miles away—will practice the tricky procedure on a 3D-printed model of your heart; later, they’ll project a live feed of what’s happening inside your chest cavity onto your body in the operating room.