Stress reduction for staff
Healthcare workers operate under stressful conditions.
They carry out critical activities and must make serious
decisions – often under high pressure. Precision in every
action is a prerequisite, as is efficiency in treatment, to pro-
vide adequate care to all patients as quickly as possible.
High noise levels act as an additional stress factor. It
affects both the well-being of the staff and the quality of
their work. Studies have shown that the psychological
effects of noise in clinical settings have a negative impact
on concentration and performance, as well as accelerating
fatigue. Poor comprehension, irritability, and a feeling of
being overwhelmed thus put a strain on medical support
as well as on the relationship with the patient. Room
acoustics tailored to requirements counteract this by crea-
ting a harmonious working environment even where high
noise levels are unavoidable. This increases the quality of
work and the satisfaction of the staff.
Age-appropriate acoustic conditions
Elderly people are overrepresented in hospitals and care
homes due to their physical constitution. Since visual and
auditory performance declines with age, lighting and room
acoustics need to be adapted accordingly. Appropriate
acoustic measures enable elderly patients to perceive
their surroundings better and to organise their day more
actively. Improved acoustics also promote communication
and participation in social life in the care home.
Sound-absorbing surfaces are ideal because they reduce
the reverberation time and thus optimise speech intelligi-
bility. This has a considerable influence on the relationship
between doctor and patient, for which mutual intelligibility
is critical.
Bespoke acoustic planning for healthcare facilities
In the health sector, acoustic planning is indispensable. In
places where people get back on their feet after illness
or accidents or reorient themselves, environments are
needed that facilitate this.
The requirements for comprehensive room-acoustic plan-
ning in the healthcare sector are many and varied. Nume-
rous standards must be considered, as well as the individual
needs of patients. To meet this complexity, we work with a
network of different partners. This allows us to perfectly co-
ordinate lighting and acoustics. In addition, we offer acous-
tic planning in three service packages, which – depending
on room size and specific project requirements – include
different services. We design different variants for each
order, including an acoustically optimised ideal situation for
your hospital, medical practice, or care facility. If you have
any questions or would like to arrange a consultation for
your project, please contact us at akustikplanung@xal.com
xal.com/acoustic-health
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