Hospital hopes noise alarm will boost patient satisfaction
Patient Safety Monitor Alert
July 30, 2008
Staff members at University Hospital of San Antonio have implemented a new technique to cut through the noise there: the "Yacker Tracker." The device, a traffic light mounted to the nurses station that sounds an alarm when it goes red, was installed as a means of satisfying patients and keeping noise levels down to a minimum by monitoring the decibel level within the facility. When the decibel gets to loud, the light turns red and the alarm sounds, says The San Antonio Express-News . Thirty-six of the devices have been in use at the hospital.
Hospitals are being judged more often on patient satisfaction needs; since 2007 patients have had the option of going to the Hospital Compare Web site to compare area hospitals, and noise level is a question that the survey touches on.
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