"Designing for Health" is a monthly, web-exclusive series from healthcare interior design leaders at Perkins+Will that focuses on the issues, trends, challenges, and research involved in crafting today's healing environments. This month's topic:

Making Hospitals More Hospitable for Children and Their Families

by John Spohn

If you've ever had to stay in a hospital for any length of time, you know how challenging it can be to rest and recover in an environment that requires beeping equipment, bustling healthcare providers, and humming air ventilation systems, and that seems to support frequent overhead pages, loud conversations, and vocal sound congestion. Imagine what all that noise is like for a child trying to rest and recover.

Fortunately, children staying at the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, Fairview now have the opportunity to enjoy a quieter, calmer hospital stay as the hospital is the first in the country to benefit from an innovative model in the design of hospital rooms for pediatric patients who experience extended hospital stays. The design is intensely user-focused and is meant to transform the hospital experience for some of the most vulnerable patients in the healthcare system.

The initial vision for the rooms, called Adopt A Room suites, named for the non-profit organization dedicated to upgrading rooms at children's hospitals to a boundary-breaking standard through corporate and private sponsorship, was of a more inviting, family-functional and livable hospital room for children and their families. As it is well documented that noise in hospitals can interfere with patient healing, lead to stressed and less satisfied healthcare workers, and raise the risk of medical errors, the acoustical design of the room played a key role in making that vision a reality.

With a clear understanding of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) Academy of Architecture for Health (AAH) guidelines for the design and construction of hospitals and the noise control standards established by the Health Information Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), the design team focused primarily on patient room planning, construction materials, and special interior finishes to achieve quieter, calmer patient rooms that benefit the patient, the families and the medical staff.

Planning
The design team consistently evaluated the acoustical benefits and ramifications of every planning decision that was made. One of the signature features of the suites, a charting alcove located just outside the patient room, was designed for the sole purpose of reducing noise. The alcove, along with the layout of the patient room itself, ensures the door to the patient room does not face the patient. In addition, the alcove creates corners that are difficult for sound to navigate. As a result, hallway noise does not reach the patient. This charting suite offers the additional noise reduction benefit of providing a location outside of the patient room for conversations between healthcare providers and/or family members.

Other sound-sensitive planning elements include positioning the technological nerve-center for the room in a closet outside the patient room and out of ear-shot of the patient and wiring the television speakers in such a way that it can be heard at a lower volume.

"These patient suites are exceeding our expectations in terms of promoting patient health and recovery, and one of the primary reasons is because they help reduce unwanted noise within the room," said John Marshall, director of facility services with the University of Minnesota Medical Center, Fairview. "The size of the rooms is, in my opinion, one of the greatest assets in managing sound. The rooms are large enough to provide for a private sleeping area as well as a separate family gathering space. The space is well planned and well used."


Construction
It was important that noise be kept to a minimum during the construction of the two suites. To that end, Acoustiblok®, which is a dense noise isolating material used to reduce sound transmission and commonly found in home theater applications, was applied on all walls. A 16-ounce layer of Acoustiblok reduces sound transmission by as much as 30 dB. Plywood blocking was installed full height within the walls over the Acoustiblok, providing noise control and sound absorption. Gypsum board sheathing was then applied over the plywood, giving each patient suite three layers of sound protection. As a result, these special rooms have unparalleled acoustical qualities that continue to benefit pediatric patients and families.

Materials
The Adopt A Room suites incorporate a number of noise-filtering materials that complement the actual room layout and design. For instance, the patient rooms and nurse alcove incorporate washable, acoustical fabric wall panels that deflect and absorb noise and the ceiling consists of high NRC-rated sound-absorbing panels that prevent sound both from coming into the room or leaving the room. In addition, the furniture is upholstered, the bed comforters are made of a softer material than traditional hospital bedding, and the windows treatments include fabric draperies, all of which help to absorb noise and create a more comfortable patient environment.

"The combination of design elements and materials in these suites ensures that every noise that can enter or leave the patient room has been addressed and abated as much as possible," said Carol Fellows, nurse manager with the University of Minnesota Children's Hospital, Fairview. "As a result, these Adopt A Room suites are promoting less patient and family anxiety, faster recovery, and improved patient satisfaction."

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John Spohn is a senior associate in Perkins+Will Minneapolis' healthcare discipline. He has 24 years of design experience in a wide range of interior architectural projects. John is a Certified Interior Designer and a LEED® 2.0 Accredited Professional. He can be reached at john.spohn@perkinswill.com.

Data and content for this article was developed from the following sources:

"The Quiet Hospital," Michael R. Yantis, Medical Construction & Design, January/February 2006

"Hospital Noise Stresses Patients and Staff," (2006, Feb. 28), The ASHA Leader, 11(3), 5

"Rise in Hospital Noise Poses Problems for Patients and Staff," ScienceDaily.com, November 21, 2005


Past installments of "Designing for Health" are available here:

"Shifting Culture, Shifting Service Lines: Is Tiger Woods the New "Grandmother"?"

"Research Informing Design"

"Peace and Quiet"

"A Prescription to go Paperless"

"Healthcare Facilities Want You to Take Notice"

"A Seat at the Table"