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HEALTHCARE REAL ESTATE, CONSTRUCTION, DESIGN & FACILITY PLANNING

The Sound of Patient Experience

Healthcare provider an organization. The improving outcomes. Each caregiver include mechanical system (air condi-
teams strive to provide overall mission must be must be given the task to support the tioning/ventilation) noise, sound isola-
every patient with a place emphasized. An example patient experience mission of a healing tion between spaces, speech privacy
of healing in order to of a mission statement is, sonic environment. Peer group panels where needed (admitting/examination
speed their return to well- “Recognizing that noise can disseminate the mission and the rooms/billing), room reverberation and
ness. A key factor in the impinges on patient care, approach. Then the Quality of Care sound absorption in vital spaces (nurses
healing process is the the Mission of the Team can begin to assess the existing stations and dining halls), and sleep
Patient Experience. The ‘Silence is Golden’ environment in each area, provide noise enhancing quiet in patient wards. It is
acoustical environment at Quality of Care Team is to control recommendations for caregiver much easier to create a successful, effi-
the healthcare facility create a quiet environ- behaviors, the equipment in use and for cient and productive facility when criti-
plays a large part in the ment that enhances both other operational procedures, and to ver- cal factors are included from the begin-
efforts to achieve the goal patient safety and optimal ify improvements in patient experience, ning, often at a lower cost.
of successful outcomes. healing”. such as the frequency of awakenings, A commitment to a better sonic envi-
A program to improve BY BENNETT BROOKS, Priorities must be set after the implementation of recommend- ronment begins with policy development
the sonic environment PE, FASA, INCE that drive practices to ed noise control solutions. based on measurable data, and continues
for patients requires three meet measurable goals, with incremental improvements in care
pillars: administrative pol- such as improving “Quiet Facility Improvement practices and facilities as opportunities
icy, operational practices and facility at night” scores. A critical step toward a The ultimate goal of a facility should are identified. The results will be satisfy-
improvement. Are policies in place to great sonic environment, is an assess- be achieving the best possible patient ing patient experiences, better patient
reduce noise and to create an acoustical ment of the acoustics in existing areas, experience and outcomes. This objec- outcomes and a sense of accomplish-
environment of healing? Are caregivers with a comprehensive acoustical audit. tive should be kept in mind when main- ment for caregivers. That can be very
cognizant of the sounds in their area and Then data mining can provide correla- taining, building or renovating any facil- rewarding for the provider.
taking steps to provide quiet where need- tions between the acoustical environ- ity, major system or process. The We welcome your thoughts on the
ed? Are facilities as quiet as they can be? ment, patient outcomes and patient sur- acoustic parts of these building compo- acoustics of the Patient Experience, and
vey results. This will lead to the identi- nents should be planned, designed and how that relates to your efforts to create
Administrative Policy fication of areas for improvement in care implemented in such a way as to an environment of healing.
Improvement in every organization practices and facility operations. enhance the healing process.
starts at the top. Policies must be created Considerations of acoustics are key Bennett Brooks is President of Brooks
that recognize the importance of the Operational Practices factors in improving the patient experi- Acoustics Corp. For more information, visit
sonic environment to the patient experi- Awareness of the acoustical environ- ence, and should be discussed and www.brooksacoustics.com
ence, and in turn to better outcomes, ment by the front-line caregivers, doc- planned for at each stage of facility main- or call (754) 229-1450.
which have financial consequences for tors, nurses and staff, is the key to tenance and improvement. These factors

Bigg Cypress F amily Medical Center
C om r p eh en e v i s Semin ole Indian Reser vati on, FL

Me n ig s e D l a ic d

Our g oal in medical facilities design
includes de v eloping spaces that
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South Florida Hospital News southfloridahospitalnews.com June 2017 17