At Frontiers Health, we had the pleasure of meeting with Prof. Dr. Janina Beilner, Head of Healthcare Development at Siemens Smart Infrastructure, and discussing a challenge every hospital faces: how to stay resilient, efficient, and patient-focused in a world of rising cyber threats, soaring energy costs, and staff shortages. Her message was clear—if we want hospitals to deliver better care, we need to start with the building.
Hospitals aren’t just about treatment. They’re living systems that run nonstop—handling sensitive data, high energy demand, and the needs of thousands every day. Yet many still rely on outdated technology that slows things down and drives costs up. The way forward isn’t another app; it’s intelligent infrastructure: buildings that notice, predict, and adjust in the moment.
Why Cybersecurity Comes First
Healthcare is one of the most targeted industries for cyberattacks. While most people think about IT systems, the real weak spot is often operational technology—the systems that keep the lights on, the air clean, and the elevators moving. If those fail, care stops.
Siemens tackles this at the source, designing equipment with security built in and providing assessments to close the gaps. Secure building systems let you deploy digital with confidence. Cybersecurity isn’t just technical—it’s the base layer for everything else.
Digital Twins: plan smarter, move faster
A digital twin gives you a live, virtual view of your hospital, fed by real data, so you can test changes safely.
In high‑pressure spaces—ORs, EDs—it helps teams forecast demand, find pinch points, and streamline workflows while care carries on. The result: quicker programs, lower spend, and a culture of ongoing improvement rather than firefighting.
Cutting energy without compromise
Hospitals can’t pause care, even as energy costs climb. Intelligent infrastructure tackles both: AI‑powered building systems and performance contracts that deliver guaranteed savings. With live tracking and demand prediction, hospitals smooth spikes and adjust heating and cooling to real occupancy. The impact is clear—energy use down by up to 50%—and the wins stack up: stronger budgets, progress on sustainability, and no trade‑off with patient safety.
Giving Time Back to Clinicians
Staffing shortages are a global reality. Nurses and doctors work under intense pressure, and every minute counts. Yet in many hospitals, nurses spend more than an hour per shift searching for equipment.
Tools like Nurse Hub and IoT-based asset tracking change that. By showing exactly where infusion pumps or wheelchairs are, they free up time for what really matters—patient care. It’s a simple change with a big impact: shorter waits, smoother workflows, and less burnout.
Turning Data Into Decisions
Building a smart hospital isn’t about installing one system—it’s about creating an ecosystem where data drives better decisions. It starts with sensors that capture what’s happening in real time. That data feeds into AI systems that adjust lighting, temperature, and energy use automatically. Digital twins let you test changes before you make them. And when everything connects—facilities, IT, and clinical systems—you get improvements that last.
The payoff isn’t a flashy dashboard. It’s a hospital that runs quietly and efficiently in the background, so clinicians can focus on patients instead of chasing problems.
Why Act Now
Security risks are growing, sustainability pressure is real, and staffing gaps persist. Intelligent infrastructure addresses all three—keeping hospitals safer, cleaner, and easier to run, with no hit to uptime.
You can start small: pick a ward, pick a workflow, and track results. From asset tracking to HVAC optimization to ED flow modelling, each step builds momentum toward a smarter, more resilient hospital.
This isn’t technology for its own sake. It’s about reliability, responsiveness, and care that feels seamless. When hospitals bring together secure systems, digital twins, AI‑led energy optimization, and IoT‑enabled workflows, they create environments that protect patients, empower staff, and use resources wisely. The future is near—and ready to scale.
Acknowledgment: This article is based on insights shared by Prof. Dr. Janina Beilner during her interview at Frontiers Health, along with her thought leadership on hospital digital transformation.
