Excerpts From Conference Presentations

Presented by David Sykes, Co-chairat:

Internoise 2009 (Ottawa 8.24.09) Healthcare Symposium (Chicago 9.30.09)

Healthcare Design (Orlando 11.2.09)

Next Steps For This Committee

•Facilitate research & testing (new online community Jan 2010)

•Share best practices across professions (via seminars & conferences)

•Encourage understanding by govt agencies, AHJs & HCOs

•Publish handbooks for public outreach & teaching

•Organize more funding for, encourage, and track research

•Advise manufacturers of materials & equipment

•Refine acoustical criteria via research for next “Guidelines” (2014)

•Continue to urge “harmonization” with other orgs & countries

(e.g., WHO, UIA-PHG)

New Research Community Online

• Numerous research teams are working in the US & abroad at leading institutions, without coordination, cross-communication or public access

• This needs to change as new guidelines become mandatory

• Following the Paris symposium & ICBEN (July ’08) the committee began organizing an open, online community to track research teams working on acoustics in healthcare facilities

• Emphasis needs to be on credible, transdisciplinary research

• See: www.healthcareacoustics.org launching in January 2010

About The New Online Communitywww.healthcareacoustics.org/researchMission:

Encourage transdisciplinary, clinical research on

healthcare acoustics by enabling direct dialog &

networking between foundations, agencies,

AHJs, research institutions, HCOs, clinicians,

research teams, professional & industry groups,

and businesses (launching January 2010)

Features Of The New Online Community

• Open, global database of recent research• Searchable directory of active research teams &

institutions• Links to interested public & private orgs• Announcement of grants & RFPs• Forums, symposia & webinars on healthcare

acoustics• Report publishing• Blogs & breaking news

10 Current Research Topics of Interest To HCOs & Funding Groups

• Acoustical materials, clean-ability & infection control (including re-purposed, new-to-market & novel materials)

• Practical research/test methods (ex: simulation labs, soundscapes)• Formal definition of & criteria for “acoustical comfort”• Impact of noise on patients & staff (OR, ER, NICUs, fMRI, etc.)• HIPAA/speech privacy (spectra, levels, directional sound, ANC) • Measurement & certification methods & protocols• Mitigation (balancing materials vs technologies (directional

sound, ANC, wireless signaling, remote alarms, etc.)• Alarm codes & standards (i.e., priority, efficacy, etc.)• Design & construction methods – impacts on noise & privacy• Sound & healing (e.g., natural sounds, pain mgmt via sound)

7

Reminder: The New Guideline* Is Also The Reference Standard For Two New EQ Credits In GGHC & LEED HC

• Two “EQ” credits available for acoustics in:– The LEED-based Green Guide for Healthcare V2.2 (1.31.07),– the new LEED for Healthcare (due out late 2009)

• FGI’s Interim Sound and Vibration Guideline is the sole reference standard for these credits

• Download (read only) from: www.gghc.org• Download copy from: www.healthcareacoustics.org

*to be published mid-January 2010

Reminder: WhyNoise Is An Important Issue Now

• In 1981, White House de-funded U.S. law “Noise Control Act of 1972”- EPA closed Office of Noise Abatement and Control•It’s still a law, but noise issues were “pushed off the table”•30 years of neglect yielded 6% per year growth in noise in healthcare facilities (now >2 times noisier!)•Urgent issue now: “pandemonium” & “an epidemic of noise”•Drive to fix acoustical problems in HCOs began with HIPAA, patient-centered care, & consumer-led healthcare movements •Due to 9/11/01 attacks, national security eclipsed privacy issue•Recent LEED recognition that “Environmental Quality” (EQ) should include noise, vibration & sound--in healthcare & educ. first•New HIPAA penalties ($1.5M) in ARRA-HITECH ACT

Some US Organizations That Support Research On Noise & Privacy

• AAH Foundation• ASHRAE• Center for the Built Environment• Center for Health Design/CHER• DoD, DARPA, ONR• Facility Guidelines Institute• National Academy of Engineering• National Institutes of Health• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation

and others