Boort District Health

Problem

Noise Problems in a Medical Centre

Noise in a medical centre can significantly impact both patients and staff. High noise levels can lead to increased stress and anxiety for patients, hindering their recovery. For instance, loud conversations, medical equipment, and frequent foot traffic can disrupt patient rest and sleep, essential for healing.

Excessive noise in reception or waiting areas can cause noise to filter into more noise-sensitive areas of the health Centre or Hospital. It also affects staff members and can impair communication among medical professionals.

Analysis

Causes of Noise in Medical Centres

Noise in medical centres is a significant issue impacting patient recovery and staff efficiency. Several factors contribute to this problem:

1. Medical Equipment: The constant beeping of monitors, alarms, and other medical devices creates persistent background noise.
2. Foot Traffic: The continuous movement of staff, patients, and visitors in hallways generates considerable noise.
3. Conversations: Loud discussions among medical staff, patients, and visitors add to the overall noise level.
4. Building Infrastructure: Hard surfaces like tiles and concrete walls reflect sound, increasing reverberation and noise levels.
5. Operational Activities: Cleaning services, equipment maintenance, and other routine activities contribute to the noise.
This noise becomes a greater problem as all these sounds bounce off the hard surfaces, further increasing the noise levels.

Solution

Addressing these noise sources is crucial for creating a quieter, more healing environment. Implementing sound-absorbing materials, optimizing space planning, and educating staff on noise reduction techniques can significantly improve the acoustic environment in medical centres. A quieter setting enhances patient comfort, promotes faster recovery, and boosts staff efficiency.

After consultation with the Hospital management it was decided to add  both functional and decorative acoustic solutions. This included Sonofonic acoustic circles and Serenity fabric-covered acoustic panels.