Introduction Sustainable working environments include good room acoustics but working in and operation room (OR) can be a challenge. Due to hygiene regulations and demands the surfaces are often hard and reflective and this leads to high sound pressure levels, bad speech clarity and long reverberation times. The Study At Hvidovre Hospital in Copenhagen, Denmark […]
Noise pollution In recent years, several acoustic studies have noted that the sound environment in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is noisy and demanding. The noises are unpredictable and unexpected as they have numerous sources. The extent of the problem is not yet fully understood, but the impact of noise pollution in patient rooms in […]
Healthcare and sound Some of us have tried to be sick in a hospital – most of us have tried to be relatives to a sick person in a hospital – and all of us have been affected by sound. Sometimes we are aware of it – sometimes we suffer without knowing it. This following […]
Out of our comfort zone. When we are sick and feel bad – we seem to forget that just opening the door to a hospital makes us out of our comfort zone. Our system is already stressed and our senses therefor alert. We are more sensitive to sound and noise than normal – and in […]
This article is a summary of the 2018 Workshop in Gothenburg, Sweden, 25-27th September: Research and Evaluation for Care Infrastructure Closer to Home Across Europe, we need health systems focused on care closer to the patient. Chronic illness and multi-morbidity – particularly concerning older citizens – means that care models must respond appropriately. Hospitals remain […]
Traffic noise makes us sick The Danish Cancer Foundation has concluded less than 2 years ago that traffic noise can lead to breast cancer and non-Hodgkins lymphoma. The Danish Ministry of Environment concluded at the same time that 500 Danes die every year because of traffic noise – because of diabetes, stress and cardio vascular […]
New acoustic standard for hospitals in Denmark This year a new acoustic standard for hospitals will be approved in Denmark. Up until now there has only been some rough guidelines (not mandatory). The acoustic demand will be on reverberation time – and the value will be 0.6 sec. in e.g. patient rooms, examination rooms and […]
In many older hospital buildings, noise is disruptive and continuous; for this reason, particular attention was paid to the acoustics in the new intensive and intermediate care unit in Seinäjoki, Finland. According to a nationwide study, on average 55% of those working in healthcare would like to see improvements to the sound environment of working facilities. […]
Our editor Maria Quinn, Concept Developer for Healthcare in Sweden, attended Euronoise in Crete – and here are her main takeaway points from the session: Room Acoustics. Poster NOISE IN NEONATAL INTENSIVE CARE UNITS: A SHORT REVIEW, by C.Carvalhais, M.V.Silva, J.Silva, A.Xavier,J.Santos Noise affects newborns and worker in NICU rooms. Most of the noise is […]
Our editor Andrea Harman, Concept Developer for Healthcare in the UK, attended Euronoise in Crete – and here are her main takeaway points from the session: Building Acoustics and Health. Effects of children charcteristics on sound environment in fast food restaurants in china – Liu Shanshan This interesting session started with the question would you […]