Health Policy Manag.  2024 Mar;34(1):4-16. 10.4332/KJHPA.2024.34.1.4.

Considerations on Standardization in Smart Hospitals

• Ahn SJ
• Lee S
• Park CH
• Kwon DY
• Jeon S
• Lee HB
• Oh SR

• KMID: 2562558
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2024.34.1.4

Abstract

Smart hospitals involve the use of recent ICT (information and communications technology) technologies to improve healthcare access, efficiency, and effectiveness. Standardization in smart hospital technologies is crucial for interoperability, scalability, policy formulation, quality control, and maintenance. This study reviewed relevant international standards for smart hospitals and the organizations that develop them. Specific attention was paid to robotics in smart hospitals and the potential for standardization in this area. The study used online resources and existing standards to analyze technologies, standards, and practices in smart hospitals. Key technologies of smart hospitals were identified. Relevant standards from ISO (International Organization for Standardization) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) were mapped to each core technology. Korea’s leadership in smart hospital technology were highlighted. Approaches for standardizing smart hospitals were proposed. Finally, potential new international standard items for robotics in smart hospitals were identified and categorized by function: sampling, remote operation, delivery, disinfection, and movement tracking/contact tracing. Standardization in smart hospital technologies is crucial for ensuring interoperability, scalability, ethical use of artificial intelligence, and quality control. Implementing international standards in smart hospitals is expected to benefit individuals, healthcare institutions, nations, and industry by improving healthcare access, quality, and competitiveness.

Keyword

Smart hospital; ISO; IEC; Healthcare; Standardization; Robotics; Artificial intelligence; Internet of things; Big data; Standards developing organization