8
PATIENT
EXPERIENCE
How 3 Hospitals are Addressing Patients'
Noise Complaints
By Heather Punke
H
CAHPS surveys measuring patient experience ask patients directly how quiet their rooms were
at night during their stay, prompting many hospitals to tackle this issue head-on with programs
designed to provide patients a quieter, more restful environment during their hospitalization.
A Kaiser Health News report dove into how some hospitals are addressing this complaint and working
to let patients get more sleep. Some of the programs are highlighted below.
Massachusetts General Hospital
Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston has
instituted quiet hours in the aernoon and at
night in which lights are dimmed and the staff are
encouraged to let patients rest if at all possible.
"We're trying to [increase awareness] that patients
need to rest, and we need to structure our care as
much as possible to allow that to happen," Richard
Evans, the chief experience officer, told KHN.
The Department of Veterans Affairs New
Jersey Health Care System
e Department of Veterans Affairs New Jersey
Health Care System allows patients to opt to have
lavender oil sprayed in their rooms, or have them
order herbal tea at night, to help them fall asleep.
Mount Sinai Hospital
Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City has looked
at the medication its clinicians prescribe to patients.
For instance, one medication may need to be
administered every six hours instead of every four,
which means patients could sleep longer if the first
drug was prescribed. n
