Title: Hospital Gowns Market: Smart Fabrics leveraged for Advanced Patient-Care
1Hospital Gowns Market Smart Fabrics leveraged
for Advanced Patient-Care
Hospital gowns are vital to the healthcare
industry, providing patients with comfortable and
practical garments to wear during their hospital
stay. For decades, hospital gowns have been
simple, one-size- fits-all garments that often
leave patients exposed and uncomfortable. Inkwood
Research anticipates this to be crucial for the
growth of the global hospital gowns market, with
an expected 11.55 CAGR during the forecast
period, 2023-2032. An ongoing trend in electronic
devices is the emergence of high-volume printable
electronic devices that are both flexible and
wearable. These devices are being seamlessly
integrated into fabric materials, resulting in
the creation of smart apparel. Incorporating
smart hospital gowns into the healthcare industry
can revolutionize patient care and significantly
enhance the overall patient experience. Evolving
Patient-Care Smart Hospital Gowns Research
published in the National Library of Medicine in
2022 (Source) shows that the conventional
hospital gown does not adequately address the
requirements of both patients and healthcare
providers in delivering top-notch healthcare.
Traditional hospital gowns have several
disadvantages, including
discomfort, impracticality, and potential
negative effects on patients well-being and
recovery.
2- Therefore, smart hospital gowns would represent a
move towards prioritizing patient-centered care.
Smart gowns, equipped with sensors, wireless
connectivity, and advanced technologies, have the
potential to automatically adjust the
temperature, monitor vital signs, and even
provide entertainment or educational content to
patients. These advanced hospital gowns can also
improve patient comfort and reduce the need for
invasive monitoring methods. - However, to fully realize the potential of this
technology, various challenges must be addressed,
including ensuring patient privacy and data
security, addressing cost and scalability issues,
and navigating regulatory and ethical
considerations. Achieving this goal will
necessitate collaboration among all stakeholders
involved in the entire gown lifecycle to reduce
obstacles to implementation while focusing on
meeting the needs of patients. - For instance, there have been collaborations
between several organizations, including
researchers from the University of Massachusetts
Amherst (UMass) and the U.S. Army Natick Soldier
Research, Development, and Engineering Center, as
of September 2022. This joint effort aims to
improve the quality of patient care while
promoting greater efficiency and
cost-effectiveness in the healthcare sector.
UMass Amhersts assistant professor, Yeonsik Noh,
commented, A device that can measure vital signs
(including heart rates and respiratory rates),
intrathoracic fluid status (using thoracic
bioimpedance) and heart rhythm may allow for more
accurate identification of the early stages of
acute decompensation in chronic heart failure
patients. (Source) - Key Components of Smart Hospital Gowns
- In the development of the smart hospital gown,
three key components are utilized - A Device Fabric Layer
- Compute and Communication Nodes
- Sensors
- The electronic devices and sensors are placed on
a removable fabric layer that can be easily
attached to the inside of a standard hospital
gown to ensure the functionality and reliability
of smart hospital gowns. The sensors collect data
continuously, taking readings at intervals of no
less than one per second, which is then
transmitted to the compute nodes. - The compute nodes operate a data analysis program
that cleans the data, eliminates false positives,
and transmits the data to the back-end cloud. In
addition, the program is designed to identify
critical events, which will trigger alerts to
notify doctors. A lightweight portable power bank
powers the entire system and the heat generated
by the compute units. The power bank is minimal
and imperceptible to the patient. This innovative
design feature allows the gown to be washed and
sterilized without compromising the electronic
components. (Source) - Smart Future for Hospital Gowns
- Wearable technology holds great promise for
revolutionizing the healthcare industry, and the
smart hospital gown is a prime example of how
innovation can lead to improved patient care and
outcomes and propel the global hospital gowns
market growth. With the global shortage of
healthcare personnel predicted by the World
Health Organization (WHO), finding ways to
optimize productivity and
streamline procedures has become crucial. The
concept of a smart sensing and computing fabric
for the
3hospital gown has emerged as a potential solution
to the issue of manual monitoring and data
collection of vital signs, enabling patients to
move freely without the need for external wires,
sensors, or monitors.
- Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
- What are some of the leading growth drivers of
the global hospital gowns market? - A An increase in the prevalence of
healthcare-associated infections, a rise in the
number of surgical procedures, and progressive
government policies for the safety and hygiene of
patients are some of the key growth drivers of
the global hospital gowns market. - What are some key trends in the global hospital
gowns market? - A Rise in the geriatric population across the
globe, the increasing prevalence of different
diseases, and the emergence of smart hospital
gowns are some key trends in the global hospital
gowns market.