Research shows that a quiet hospital environment enhances patient healing and satisfaction among health care providers. For this reason, and in keeping with UPMC Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh commitment to be a benchmark facility for pediatric care, we've designed one of the quietest hospitals in existence.
Children's plans to reduce noise in patient areas, public spaces, conference rooms, lounges and consultation rooms by utilizing more than 30 measures including the following:
- Masonry exterior walls at most patient rooms
- Floor to deck full-height partitions, sealed and insulated
- Multi-layer drywall partitions at patient rooms
- Acoustic ceiling tile in lieu of hard ceilings
- Extensive use of carpeting and door seals
- Remote locations for staff work areas and consult rooms
- Sound deadened elevator cab enclosures
- Extensive use of vibration isolators
- Remote central plant location, eliminating boilers, chillers, and generators
- Cast iron piping for storm and sanitary stacks
- Strict adherence to sound mitigation requirements
- Use of personal communication devices in lieu of overhead paging
- Silent notification of nurse call through integration of wireless communication devices
- Silent notification of alarms from monitoring equipment through integration to wireless communication devices
- "Soft" wheels on mobile carts
