Healthcare facility environments are often designed for infection control and washability, but not to support a quiet space, according to an article on the Architecture and Design website.
A study by acoustical engineers at Johns Hopkins University said hospital noise levels have grown steadily over the past five decades.
A hospital’s walls may be the first line of defense in acoustic design, but the floor and ceiling can also control noise, experts say.
Hospitals that replace "hard-lid" ceilings with high-performance acoustic panels have been able to reduce decibel levels and improve patient sleep without sacrificing cleanliness or infection control, the article said.
Aligning Construction and Facility Activities to Minimize Problems
Cooper University Health Care Breaks Ground on 'Project Imagine'
3 Employees Injured by Patient at Halifax Infirmary's Emergency Department
How Architects Shape the Future of Healthcare Facilities
UNC Health, Duke Health Form Partnership for Stand-alone Children's Hospital