Introduction: Healthcare 4.0 integrates emerging technologies to deliver more efficient, personalized, and patient-centered care, driving profound transformations in healthcare delivery. Although international research on this topic has expanded, studies in Brazil directly linking healthcare 4.0 to hospital buildings remain limited. Therefore, this study aimed to identify the impacts of emerging technologies on hospital buildings in Brazil within the framework of healthcare 4.0. Methodology: The research was conducted in three stages: (1) scoping review; (2) questionnaire administered to 66 healthcare professionals from different regions of Brazil, complemented by semi-structured interviews with 13 hospital architects with relevant national experience; and (3) content analysis of the collected data. Results: The study revealed that emerging technologies do not influence the physical-spatial structure of hospitals in a unidirectional manner; instead, they exert interdependent impacts across the entire healthcare enterprise. These impacts were classified into seven main categories: (1) built environment; (2) healthcare delivery; (3) efficiency and productivity; (4) organizational and operational structure; (5) financial; (6) security; and (7) network and connectivity. Addressing these transformations requires integrated approaches that align architectural design, technological innovation, and healthcare management. Such integration also demands investments in both physical and digital infrastructure, workforce training, and public policies to promote equitable access. Conclusions: Healthcare 4.0 and its associated technologies are reshaping the form, scale, and functions of hospital buildings, prompting a reevaluation of architectural design and related policies. Despite clear benefits, these innovations demand purpose-built spaces to support new operational, technical, and infrastructural needs.
Author Contributions
Conceptualization, J.P.L.P., L.G.L.V. and P.B.C.; methodology, J.P.L.P., L.G.L.V. and P.B.C.; validation, L.G.L.V. and P.B.C.; formal analysis, J.P.L.P.; investigation, J.P.L.P.; data curation, J.P.L.P.; writing—original draft preparation, J.P.L.P.; writing—review and editing, L.G.L.V. and P.B.C.; supervision, L.G.L.V. and P.B.C. All authors have read and agreed to the published version of the manuscript.
Funding
This study was carried out with the support of the Santa Catarina University Scholarship Program maintained by the Fundo de Apoio à Manutenção e ao Desenvolvimento da Educação Superior (UNIEDU/FUMDES Postgraduate).
Institutional Review Board Statement
The study was conducted in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and approved by the Human Research Ethics Committee of the Federal University of Santa Catarina (protocol code 68514423.5.0000.0121; approved in 5 May 2023).
Informed Consent Statement
Informed consent was obtained from all subjects involved in the study.
Data Availability Statement
The data presented in this study are available upon request from the corresponding author.
Conflicts of Interest
The authors declare no conflict of interest.
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