Now is the Time to Plan a Better Year!

A key goal for healthcare providers is to provide every patient with a place of healing in order to speed their return to wellness. The Patient Experience is an important factor, not only for successful health outcomes, but also for the financial stability of the organization. Among many aspects, the acoustical environment at the healthcare facility plays a large role in the efforts to create a more positive experience for patients.

 

Continual improvement of the patient experience is a high priority for most healthcare providers. The actions that can be planned and budgeted to achieve this goal can be accomplished in a series of targeted and manageable steps. These steps will each have measurable results which will inform and lead into the next step.

 

The first step is to recognize that the acoustical environment is an important factor in the patient’s perception of the healthcare provider. A basic example of a positive acoustical environment is a background sound climate which is relatively quiet and steady, to promote the healing rest and sleep that patients need. A supportive acoustical environment will win the provider praise and better outcomes, while a poor environment will deter good outcomes and elicit complaints.

 

Plan the program to improve the acoustical environment in the same way as other functions with the goal of progress. This is built upon three pillars:

● Administrative policy

● Operational practices

● Facility improvement

 

Administrative Policy – It is incumbent on the administration to set priorities, especially to define the goals for the next year. Measurable improvement of the Patient Experience is a top goal for many organizations. Improvement of the acoustical environment is a realistic goal, which can be reached by planning and budgeting several administrative initiatives. 1) An assessment of the acoustics which currently exist in patient areas, with a comprehensive acoustical audit. 2) Data mining to provide correlations between the acoustical environment, patient outcomes and patient survey results. 3) Identification of areas for improvement in care practices and facility operations.

Operational Practices – Once the acoustical environment assessment and the patient experience data are in, and areas for improvement are identified, then the budget plan should allow for a program to increase awareness of the acoustical environment by the front-line caregivers, doctors, nurses and staff. 1) Form peer group (Quality of Care) teams to disseminate the mission and the approach. 2) Assist Quality of Care teams to develop noise control recommendations for caregiver behaviors, the equipment in use and for other operational procedures, which are then disseminated to all. 3) Verify improvements in patient experience, such as the frequency of awakenings, after the implementation of recommended noise control solutions.

Facility Improvement – Direct the facility team to achieve the best possible patient experience and outcomes. The budget for maintenance, construction and renovation will account for the acoustic facility components to be planned, designed and implemented in such a way as to enhance the healing process. These include, 1) Quiet mechanical systems. 2) Adequate sound isolation between spaces. 3) Required speech privacy where needed to meet HIPAA rules. 4) Proper room reverberation and sound absorption in vital spaces such as nurses stations and dining halls. Planning to create a successful, efficient and productive facility from the beginning, will often result in measureable outcome improvements at a lower cost.

 

A commitment to a better acoustical environment begins in the budget and planning process. Policy development based on measurable data, along with incremental improvements in care practices and facilities as opportunities are identified will result in satisfying patient experiences, better patient outcomes and a sense of accomplishment for caregivers. That is something worth planning for!

 

We welcome your thoughts on the acoustics of the Patient Experience, and on your efforts to create an environment of healing.