Hospitals in The Woodlands area are adapting new technology to improve or streamline aspects of patient experiences as well as ease the burdens on health care workers in areas such as patient monitoring and NICU care, officials said.
The gist
Houston Methodist The Woodlands Hospital is employing new technologies such as the wearable BioButton to allow continuous remote patient monitoring, as well as patient check-in kiosks. The kiosks are currently in the Hope and Healing towers with plans for locations in the Breast Care Center and outpatient rehabilitation, Chief Nursing Officer Kerrie Guerrero said.
"These tools improve access and reduce friction for patients, while integrated care platforms allow our teams to focus more time on delivering exceptional, personalized care," Guerrero said.
The technologies are also employed at its Comprehensive Care Center in Creekside, which opened in 2025, and includes ambient listening, an artificial intelligence tool that reduces administrative burden through automatic note-taking.
Nurses are also given more time for direct patient care through a virtual nursing initiative which integrates audio and video technology to allow nurses to support patients and care teams remotely, Guerrero said.
More details
With the opening of Medical Plaza 5 at Memorial Hermann The Woodlands Medical Center in 2025, the hospital has moved and expanded its TIRR Outpatient Rehabilitation program, offering advanced technology for neurological patients, hospital officials said.
The hospital is piloting Smart Room technology in October, equipping two-way video monitoring, AI-powered fall risk monitoring and other services, hospital officials said.
The first floor of the new Medical Plaza 5 is therapy-based, including occupational and speech therapy, offering more capacity with new technology.
Further expansion within the next several years is likely at the hospital as the South Tower build-out is completed, and the hospital will be able to support additional service lines, officials said.
Looking ahead
Another area where new technology is being used is in NICU facilities. St. Luke's Health-The Woodlands Hospital is one of several hospitals in the area using AngelEye Health, a remote monitoring tool designed to help improve family and clinical interaction with NICU babies. St. Luke's Health introduced it in March.
Judith Brown, director of women's services at the hospital, said AngelEye lets families, including members outside of the immediate area, view their newborn in the NICU and communicate with nursing staff via the web.
"As a Level III NICU, it's important to be family centered, and space is limited," Brown said. The NICU has 14 beds during surge capacity. "It just brings the family closer to the staff."
It will also be introducing the AngelEye MilkTracker, which gives the hospital the ability to scan and monitor inventory on breast milk, giving families a more interactive role.
