This chapter examines the innovations in the healthcare sector that led to the establishment of Smart Hospitals. The purpose is to examine the forces that enable future scenarios to be imagined, taking into account technologies, health professional skills, stakeholder networks, governance models, and health policy, in order to contribute to a more sustainable and strategic health sector.
For health organizations and health professionals, the repercussions of contemporary technology transformations are still hypothetical and/or theoretical. The goal of this study is to develop a scientific understanding of the impact of emerging digital technologies on healthcare management models, practices, and procedures. Nanotechnology, biotechnology, robots, artificial intelligence, and human–computer interaction are just a few examples of technological breakthroughs that are happening faster than enterprises can adapt to. However, because technology is a driving force for humanity’s evolution, this study focuses on its effects, as well as governance structures and best practices from projects implemented over the last decade, which can be used to inspire the development of new hospital models that are more inclusive and innovative.
