Transforming Care at the Bedside Through the Reduction of Noise

St. Francis Hospital, a member of the Puget Sound Alliance, was featured in a case study examining its effort to reduce noise in its 3rd Floor Medical/Telemetry unit in conjunction with the AF4Q TCAB initiative. The study examines the process used by St. Francis to institute a “Culture of Quiet” in the unit, and the results of their efforts. The unit improved its “quietness at night” score from 39% in 2009 to 58% satisfaction by June 2011 on the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems survey (or HCAHPS, which is a national, standardized, publicly reported survey of patients' perspectives of hospital care). Comments given to staff as part of discharge commonly reflect a high level of patient satisfaction in regards to noise levels. St. Francis Hospital is continuing its work with the AF4Q TCAB program and continues to make strides in patient-satisfaction and overall health care quality.

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