When it comes to acoustics, there can be times when absorption and blocking aren’t enough, or even the right solution. In doctor’s offices, counseling centers, and other medical facilities, speech privacy is of the utmost importance. Not only to provide a peaceful and quiet environment for both patient and caregiver, but to protect confidentiality. In these cases Sound Masking is often the ideal solution.
See Sound Masking Case Studies
When Collaborative Counseling Center of Tarpon Springs saw the need to supplement their existing sound blocking efforts, sound masking was the solution. They had a large, open waiting room, several adjacent therapy rooms, and a corridor running between them. The plenum above the ceiling tiles was a bit unusual, running from 3ft on the sides to 12ft at the peak, allowing sound from one room to travel directly, and reverberate indirectly, into the next.
Related: Acoustic Consulting for Healthcare Acoustics
Installing Sound Masking in Healthcare Facilites
After a quick afternoon installation of Commercial Acoustics’ sound masking speaker system, sound level meter readings showed a uniformity of 47.5 to 48 decibels. Rather than speech, telephones, or typing noise bleeding through from one room to the other there was only the steady, relaxing pink noise in the background, providing privacy between the therapy rooms, as well as the waiting area.
Related: Absorption for Healthcare Facilities
The benefits of such a system are numerous, including the fact that the units are installed above the ceiling tiles, keeping them out of sight and eliminating the need to modify the existing aesthetics. In addition, a remote volume control panel hidden away in the maintenance room provides the ability to make minute adjustments to the sound levels to suit day to day needs.
Sound Masking and Speech Privacy
When looking for solutions to speech privacy concerns, medical office managers and contractors should strongly consider a Sound Masking System to provide the privacy that patients and caregivers need. Remember to consider the proximity to nearby sensitive spaces and the privacy requirement for the information. By combining walls with adequate STCs and Sound Masking coverage, you can ensure that your facility has adequate treatment.
For More Information: How Sound Masking Works
