Quiet at Night HCAHPS Scores: Understanding What’s Really Hurting You

Gary Madaras, Healthcare Soundscaper, Ph.D., Assoc. AIA, Making Hospitals Quiet

The Beryl Institute’s recent patient experience benchmarking studies show that reducing noise is a top priority for improving patient experience. Organizations have directed a lot of effort at increasing quiet-at-night HCAHPS scores. Hospitals that form a volunteer committee and jump into easy tactics such as signage and ear plugs have a self-reported success rate of only 12%. Clearly, what many believe to be ‘best practices’ do not work. This webinar will provide a greatly different perspective on the noise reduction challenge. It will lay out a basic structure for success. Key concepts include ‘stop chasing silence’ and ‘the patient perception of quiet is when good sounds are louder than bad noises.’ It will describe how some fundamental hospital policies and unaddressed cultural landmines can doom a noise reduction plan more than nurse conversations. Participants will leave having undergone a paradigm shift.