Existing solutions to combat noise in hospitals

Noise is undesired as it causes discomfort to patients and can be a source of irritation to persons in and around the hospitals and as such must e reduced to a manageable level or entirely eliminated. There already exist a number of solutions being implemented by many hospitals currently as explored below.
·        The acoustic design of the hospital is taken into consideration i.e. hard surfaces like tiles tend to bounce off sound instead of muffling it and as such dampened surfaces are often used and integrated with these surfaces such as padding within walls. These small additions go a long way to reduce the quiet the general atmosphere in the hospital.
·        Though it is expensive and time consuming often noise monitors are a common necessity for many hospitals to manage noise
·        Effective sound mapping help lead to increased quiet. This is because to eliminate the noise it is important to know first where exactly it is coming from as it would be pointless to implement noise reduction systems without knowing where the noise is coming from and also what areas don’t need this attention.
·        Encouraging reduced chatter from nurses and doctors in the hallways is an important step in reducing the noise in these areas.
·        Some hospitals have gone to the step of installing white noise machines this is because it helps mask noise from the immediate surroundings.
·        And finally, reducing the frequency and intensity of alarms as this startles the patients and even people who are in the hospitals such as visitors.