Making hospitals better

Modern hospitals are expansive, efficient, and buzzing with technology. So much so, that it can often improve every aspect of the time spent in the building. KONE’s team worked with the New Royal Adelaide Hospital in Australia to bolster patient experience through smarter vertical transportation. At eleven stories high and spread across ten hectares, hosting 800 beds and 6,000 staff, the NRAH sees an estimated 85,000 inpatients and 400,000 outpatients every year. Specially designed pathways and entry points allow patients to bypass certain departments and be admitted directly into services like cardiology or mental health, depending on their requirements. One of the main objectives in the hospital design was to ensure the most effective flow of patients to the care they need.

KONE was brought in to install solutions that would ensure patients could move seamlessly through the hospital, once admitted. Through careful co-ordination and planning, the team successfully installed products and services that helped the hospital meet its ambitious goal of achieving smooth people flow. This included no less than 41 elevators, including helipad lifts and a network of Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGVs).

The AGVs reliably cover up to 700km a day delivering up to 500 kilograms of supplies, food and equipment to different people across multiple stories. Not only does this cut hospital labour costs – imperative in a sector that is constantly battling to keep services accessible – but also, when designed and implemented well, helps create a more tranquil and less hectic experience.

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