There was a surprising group of new exhibitors at HIMSS26 – power and electrical companies. What were they doing at a digital health conference? Turns out they want to raise awareness of the power requirements that AI is driving for healthcare providers and vendors. Schneider Electric explains why planning ahead is the only way to stay ahead.
Let’s be honest, power requirements are an afterthought when we look to implement the latest healthcare software. But as I learned from catching up with Malcolm Murray from Schneider Electric, the massive increase in on-prem AI solutions, advanced imaging, and robotic surgeries is putting an unprecedented demand on hospital facilities.
Health systems can’t wait until the 11th hour to figure out if their facilities can handle new, super low-latency edge AI tools. Pivoting at the last minute with physical infrastructure isn’t easy. You can’t exactly tear holes in the walls or streets overnight to run more power into your facility.
In some cases, a hospital’s existing grid simply can’t give them any more power, meaning they must look at microgrid solutions to generate electricity on-prem.
To showcase what’s possible when you plan ahead, Schneider displayed a fully integrated patient room where patients can control their own blinds, lighting, and entertainment.
As healthcare continues to invest in AI and implement even more technology, we need to ensure we have the underlying infrastructure to keep the lights on AND the AI servers humming.
Learn more about Schneider Electric at https://www.se.com/
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