Top 10 Mistakes Hospitals Make in Smart Room Projects

Smart patient room technology promises better care, smoother workflows, and improved outcomes. Too often, hospitals stumble, not because the technology is flawed, but because the strategy is. Here are the top 10 mistakes I’ve seen firsthand, and how to avoid them.

1. Treating Smart Rooms as a “Technology Purchase” Instead of a Clinical Workflow Project

Hospitals often buy screens, sensors, or platforms without mapping clinical workflows first. This leads to tools that staff don’t use or that increase workload rather than reduce it.

2. Starting Technology Planning Too Late in Renovations or New Construction

Smart room design is frequently added after the final project drawings. Late-stage changes lead to:

• Construction delays
• Costly add-ons
• Incorrect power/data placement
• Displays installed in the wrong location

3. Letting Vendors Define the Strategy for You

Each vendor recommends the solution they sell, not what the hospital actually needs. Hospitals end up with:

• Overlapping systems
• Redundant features
• Poor integration
• Budgets stretched in the wrong areas

4. Buying Multiple Systems That Don’t Integrate

A typical mistake:

• One system for digital whiteboards
• One for patient education
• One for virtual care
• One for room controls
• One for alert routing

Without integration planning, hospitals create inefficient silos that frustrate staff.

5. Not Including Nursing, Patient Experience, and Clinical Input Early in the Process

IT and Facilities often lead the project, but nursing and clinical teams carry the operational burden. When clinical staff aren’t included upfront:

• Workflows break
• Alerts route incorrectly
• Rooms are designed in ways that slow care

6. Not Building Low-Voltage and Infrastructure Standards

Hospitals often lack standardized:

• Backing for displays
• Conduit runs
• Outlet placement
• Cabling type
• Network capacity

Without standards, every new project becomes a custom build.

7. Underestimating Integration Complexity

Hospitals frequently assume systems will “just plug into Epic.”
Common challenges:

• ADT data mapping
• Care team assignment issues
• RTLS misalignment
• Nurse call routing loops
• Middleware configuration

Each of these can cause issues and delays that can last months.

8. Overlooking Change Management and Training

Smart room projects often fail not because the technology is bad, but because:

• Staff weren’t trained
• No champions were created
• No feedback loop exists
• Rollout was too broad, too fast

Hospitals underestimate how much support nurses need for new tech.

9. Not Planning for Device Lifecycle and Ongoing Support

Hospitals often don’t manage questions like:

• Who owns the whiteboard content?
• Who updates software?
• What’s the refresh cycle for displays?
• Who handles patient education libraries?
• Who will manage batteries and other consumables?

Without a sustainability plan, systems quickly fall into disuse.

10. No Clear Roadmap

The biggest mistake: trying to “do everything at once.”
Successful hospitals follow a phased approach:

• Infrastructure
• Core Integrations
• Patient engagement tools
• Virtual care
• AI-driven controls and automation

A carefully planned roadmap ensures funding aligns with strategy.

Conclusion

Hospitals invest heavily in smart room technology, but without a structured approach, projects miss the mark. Avoiding these common mistakes can save time, reduce cost, and create better outcomes for both patients and staff.