Importance of acoustics in general practitioner and dentist practices
In healthcare, acoustics plays an important role, both in waiting rooms and in treatment rooms and practice rooms. These spaces require a calming environment, where the atmosphere is crucial for the well-being of the patients. Important factors here are privacy and comfort. Unfortunately, this is not always the case in reality, and the acoustics in many practice areas can be unpleasant. For hygienic or aesthetic reasons, many practice spaces consist of hard materials, such as glass, concrete, and tiles. This leads to a lot of sound reflections and can result in bothersome echoes.
Acoustics in waiting area
A poor acoustic environment in the waiting room results in all sounds being amplified. This causes patients to whisper and be reluctant to speak, as every little noise is audible. On the other hand, talking patients can irritate others. The poor acoustics can cause tension and stress in patients, leading to a sense of discomfort. They carry this feeling into the consultation room. By improving the acoustics in the waiting room, tension in patients can be alleviated.
Acoustics in treatment room or consultation room
Even in the treatment room or consultation room, poor acoustics can contribute to an unpleasant experience. The sound levels are unnecessarily high and the echo creates an uncomfortable feeling of lack of privacy. By placing acoustic solutions in clever locations, the noise pollution within the space (and the radiation to the outside) can be reduced.
The improved acoustics have a positive effect on speech intelligibility in the room, an important aspect for communication between the patient and the staff. Additionally, the staff will work in a more pleasant working environment with less echo and a lower noise level. As a result, they will experience less fatigue and stress. Moreover, a pleasant working atmosphere has not only a positive effect on health but also a positive effect on staff satisfaction.
Advice on improving acoustics
When you experience an acoustic issue in your general practitioner or dental practice, we are happy to assist you. We can perform an acoustic measurement to map the current acoustic situation and provide you with targeted advice. With an extensive range of acoustic solutions and our own installation service, we can improve the acoustics entirely according to your wishes. Please contact us for this.
