An overview of the new Japanese guidelines for hospital building construction to insure the safe introduction of wireless communication systems

Abstract

The introduction of information and communication technology in hospitals is rapidly expanding, with wireless communication systems integral to their smooth functioning. However, there are many problems that need to be addressed, such as signals that do not cover the required area or the inability to make a required connection. In medical wireless telemetry systems, the lack of a signal can be life-threatening if alerts about abnormalities in a patient's vital signs do not reach the staff. Many hospitals have problems with the reflection of radio waves from walls and floors, lack of consideration for the placement of metal fixtures, or not having appropriate space for cable routing. Reasons for these problems include the hospital construction process in which the planning of the installation of information and communication equipment is not done until after the building framework is completed and that information on the materials of walls, floors and doors is not shared among all stakeholders. To counter these problems, the Architectural Institute of Japan Steering Committee on Electromagnetic Environment organized a subcommittee to examine how building planners can better take into account the use of radio waves in hospitals. Our first target was to set guidelines for wireless medical telemetry systems. Herein, we show an overview of our guidelines.