Acoustic regulation in hospitals - Interior acoustics improving the recovery of patients

摘要

Busy environments are bound to be noisy, and hospitals are no exception. The rampant noise found in modern hospitals are caused by a variety of sources; including patients, staff and medical alerts, making hospitals unable to meet the desired acoustic levels recommended for recovery. Evidence-Based Design can reduce treatment times, the consumption of medication by patients, as well as create an environment that supports better sleeping patterns and calmness. For example, a study of 416 patients has shown that quieter environments can reduce hospitalization periods. Major European countries, such as NL and IT, still miss acoustic regulations for the healthcare sector. Other countries, such as FR, DE, ES, PL, FI, UK and the Scandinavian countries, have specific regulation for hospitals in place. The presentation will analyze the particulars of the acoustic requirements in 9 European countries. In addition, the discussion will get initiated on what a meaningful "common denominator" looks like for countries with neither interior acoustic guidance nor regulations in place.