Exploring the “Phygital” Future of Healthcare
By Lindsey Coulter
As healthcare evolves, the lines between physical and digital care are increasingly blurred, giving rise to the concept of “Phygital” healthcare. Patients now expect a seamless and consistent experience, whether they are visiting a hospital or office, engaging in a telehealth appointment, or interacting with a healthcare provider’s patient portal app. Healthcare Construction + Operations News spoke with Carl Fleming, a DPR Construction healthcare strategist, to better understand how the Phygital approach is transforming healthcare, starting with the design and construction of healthcare facilities and spaces that integrate physical with digital to create unified, patient-centric care environments.
HCO News: What is “Phygital,” and how is it relevant to healthcare construction?
Fleming: “Phygital” refers to the merging of physical and digital environments. In healthcare, this encompasses both the physical environment of traditional healthcare facilities and the digital environment of mobile apps and virtual care. In healthcare construction, this concept is crucial as it integrates advanced technology into the design and functionality of healthcare spaces, ensuring that both in-person and virtual care are optimized.
HCO News: What are the benefits of considering Phygital during the construction phase?
Fleming: The current healthcare construction market is challenged by rising costs, labor shortages, and the need for rapid delivery of adaptable, high-quality facilities. By applying a Phygital mindset, one can effectively and efficiently address these challenges, resulting in:
- Improved Efficiency: Digital systems streamline operations to reduce wait times and improve overall efficiency, ensuring that healthcare facilities can quickly respond to changing demands, such as new technologies or shifts in patient care models.
- Removing Labor and Schedule Constraints: Strategic uses of technology in the construction process can reduce on-site labor demands and accelerate project timelines.
- Reduced Rising Costs (initial one-time and ongoing operational): Automation and predictive maintenance increase efficiency at all stages. For example, using Building Information Modeling (BIM) allows for precise planning and reduces waste.
- Futureproofing: Incorporating digital infrastructure from the outset ensures that facilities can adapt to future technological advancements without significant overhauls.
- Enhanced Patient Experience: By integrating digital tools and physical spaces, patients and their care team can enjoy a more seamless and personalized care experience.
HCO News: How does Phygital impact construction project planning?
Fleming: Phygital considerations affect construction project planning by encouraging a dual focus on both physical and digital care environments. Specifically, it necessitates the inclusion of technology solutions and supporting infrastructure in the early stages of the project. In the past, clinical capital expenditures have been viewed as disparate funding buckets. However, going forward, the success of large-scale construction projects will rely more heavily on the alignment of construction and digital technology capital allocation.
Strategic capital allocation is critical, as healthcare organizations must invest in expanding and optimizing physical spaces—like hospitals, medical offices, and urgent care centers—while also transforming the digital care environment to meet the rising expectations of both providers and patients.
The congruence of construction and digital requires collaboration between construction teams, IT professionals, and healthcare providers to ensure that the physical and digital elements are seamlessly integrated in capital allocation, schedules and human resources. By aligning investments in both areas, healthcare organizations can create seamless, personalized care experiences, driving growth and innovation across their health systems.
HCO News: What benefits does the Phygital experience offer to healthcare organizations and patients?
Fleming: For healthcare organizations, considering the Phygital environment offers several key benefits. First, it enables more efficient project delivery, reducing both time and costs through better planning and coordination. Second, it allows for greater flexibility, with facilities that can be easily adapted to changing needs, such as new medical technologies or shifts in patient demographics. That can potentially lead to cost savings when it comes time for renovations. Third, it enhances operational efficiency by integrating smart technologies that streamline maintenance, improve energy use, and ensure better resource management.
For patients, the Phygital-considered approach translates into more personalized and responsive care environments. Patients can expect a consistent experience across all channels, ensuring they feel comfortable and cared for, whether interacting in person or online. When patients receive care in environments designed to minimize stress and maximize efficiency, they experience improved satisfaction and outcomes, benefiting from a cohesive and lower-stress journey through every aspect of their healthcare.
HCO News: What role does data play in Phygital healthcare, and how is it being utilized?
Fleming: Data is at the heart of applying Phygital approaches to healthcare construction. By collecting and analyzing data from various sources, construction teams can make more informed decisions at every stage of a project. For example, data from IoT sensors can be used to monitor environmental conditions, track equipment usage, and ensure building systems are operating efficiently. This data-driven approach also extends to the design and planning phases, where digital tools, like BIM and digital twins, use data to create accurate models and simulations. These models help identify potential issues before construction begins, reducing the risk of delays and cost overruns.
Furthermore, once a facility is operational, data continues to play a crucial role in ongoing management and optimization. Healthcare facilities can use real-time data to monitor patient flows, adjust staffing levels, and even predict maintenance needs, ensuring the facility runs smoothly and efficiently.
HCO News: Looking forward, what does the future of healthcare construction look like with an increase in Phygital experiences?
Fleming: The future of healthcare is being shaped by the convergence of physical and digital environments, driven by the evolving patient-consumer mindset. As technology continues to revolutionize the industry, Phygital considerations become increasingly essential, requiring substantial investments that balance innovation with the organization’s core values. Transforming healthcare spaces to seamlessly integrate both built and digital environments is complex and costly, yet crucial. By leveraging expertise from technology, digital innovation, and human experience initiatives, healthcare organizations can create a powerful synergy between construction and technology. This alignment not only delivers tangible value but also enhances human connection, ensuring healthcare facilities are equipped to meet the needs of patients today and in the future.