Smart glass in healthcare: 5 real-life case studies
Share this blog:
Smart glass is a revolution in glass fabrication. Find out how it's transforming healthcare settings across the world.
The glass industry has come a long way since the days of glassblowers. Today, glass can be manufactured with a self-cleaning coating. It can be walked on without breaking. And over the last decade or so, we've seen an increased adoption of smart glass, also known as "switchable glass".
Smart glass is an innovative glass product that answers a question. How can you combine the aesthetic, structural and thermally efficient properties of high-quality glass with privacy?
Yes, curtains and blinds exist. However, curtains and blinds have a way of accruing dirt – and in many settings, an easy-clean alternative is desired.
Smart glass looks like ordinary glass. But press a button and you can change the translucency level.
Want the sun to come streaming through the window? Leave it as it is. Want to keep out some of those rays? You can dial up the translucency. Want complete privacy? You can dial it all the way to complete opacity.
To many, smart glass is a luxury product used in luxury settings – fancy cars, high-end hotels and private jets. But did you know it's also making a difference in healthcare settings across the world?
It makes sense. No hospital can function without private spaces for patients to be dressed, washed and treated. And no hospital can function without easy-to-clean surfaces to stop the transmission of diseases.
Here, then, are five real-life case studies where smart glass is used in healthcare settings.
1. Sunderland Royal Hospital, UK
Blinds and curtains can easily become contaminated with bacteria. And in an intensive coronary care unit (ICCU), contamination isn't an option.
That's why Sunderland Royal Hospital installed a toughened smart glass partition system. It allows patients to be monitored, privacy to be accessed on demand and hygiene standards to be met.
2. Wokingham Medical Centre, UK
Wokingham Medical Centre is a testament to innovation. Converted from an unused office block in the 1990s, it became the UK's biggest single-site GP practice with architectural ambition to match.
The architects
aimedto "bring natural light into the deep-set building". This involved roof lights and a custom-designed smart glass curtain wall. In the words of Barbara Weiss, the director of Barbara Weiss Architects:
"In response to privacy and infection control requirements, 'intelligent' smart glass was specified to the curtain wall. The glazing changes from clear to opaque at the switch of a button."
3. St. Mary's Paddington Hospital, UK
Founded in 1845, this London hospital has long been a technological leader. It was here that the UK's first da Vinci robot carried out keyhole surgery.
So, it's perhaps no surprise that this general acute hospital has installed a series of partition screens made from smart glass.
This screen does double duty. It gives patients privacy on demand – something that can improve the quality of their hospital stay. And it makes deep cleaning easy to achieve. All staff need to do is wipe down the partition with an anti-bacterial agent.
4. West Wales General Hospital, UK
Based in Carmarthenshire, West Wales General Hospital is a 391-bed hospital providing a range of acute and community healthcare services.
Smart glass has been installed at the hospital's state-of-the-art intensive care unit. As in other healthcare settings, this gives staff and patients privacy on demand – and by eliminating blinds and curtains, makes the facility a cleaner and safer place to be.
5. Milton District Hospital, Ontario, Canada
Milton District Hospital is a hospital that provides the people of Milton and beyond with a wide range of primary care services.
It now has switchable smart glass panels in its intensive care unit doors, patient bays and emergency room areas. The easy hygiene and privacy on demand are said to have led to higher patient satisfaction scores.
What are the benefits of smart glass in healthcare settings?
Infection control
This is a benefit of smart glass in general – but it's nowhere more important than in a healthcare setting with stringent hygiene standards.
Yes, fabric curtains and blinds can be cleaned. But they're more likely to harbour superbugs such as CDIFF, VRE and MRSA than an easily wipeable smart glass panel.
Privacy and dignity
Smart glass gives both patients and staff instant control over privacy. This can enhance the patient's hospital stay, building trust and increasing comfort at a difficult time. It can also serve as a marker of quality – something many patients find reassuring.
Operational efficiency
Switchable smart glass lets medical staff observe patients from a distance without entering the room. This saves time. It also means staff don't need to change out of their personal protective equipment.
Natural light
The comfort a patient can feel in a hospital isn't just tied to the care they receive. It's also a question of the environment they find themselves in.
Smart glass increases the flow of natural light. This can make the hospital environment feel more open, more welcoming and more modern.
Versatility
Smart glass can double as a projector screen when opaque. This means a room in a healthcare setting with smart glass can also be used for projecting training materials, meeting agendas or other information.
Introducing TG SWITCH
Here at ToughGlaze, we stock a wide range of toughened and laminated glass products. This includes TG SWITCH, our highly durable and highly advanced
switchable smart glassproduct.
It consists of two glass panes with a polymer-dispersed liquid crystal interlayer. Opacity can be turned on and off at the touch of a button – and the unit can be integrated with smart systems in homes, offices, healthcare settings and more.
Providing privacy on demand and an easy-to-clean, easy-to-use alternative to blinds and curtains, TG SWITCH is already a valued asset in a wide range of settings.
So, if you're looking for high-quality smart glass, get in touch with ToughGlaze for a quick, competitive quote or learn more about TG SWITCH today.
