Current State
At this NYC hospital, patient rest is a core part of the healing process - but in shared environments, ambient noise often goes unnoticed.
Unit leadership recognized that sound interruptions were affecting patient experience scores and disrupting recovery, especially during overnight hours. The team began looking closely at potential contributors: loud carts, paging devices, dietary deliveries, and conversations outside patient rooms.
But without a way to track noise, the hospital lacked an effective way to track data and improve.
FeedbackNow Solution
The hospital deployed FeedbackNow’s Noise Sensor technology across several inpatient units, with a particular focus on areas near nurse stations and hallways with high overnight foot traffic. The sensors passively monitored decibel levels and reported spikes in real time.
EVS and leadership teams used the data to correlate noise with specific activities - like cleaning rounds or meal deliveries - and coached staff on behavior changes: dimming lights, reducing phone volume, and speaking away from doorways. The team also used reports to advocate for quieter carts and modified workflows.
Real-time noise data is now shared weekly and reviewed in unit-level huddles, helping teams adjust in-the-moment and reinforcing accountability. The success of the program has prompted plans to scale across all inpatient units.
Outcome
The pilot surfaced clear patterns, including overnight noise peaks tied to shift transitions and clustered activity near nurse stations. Staff began actively monitoring tone and device volume, and continued to track progress with real-time data. One unit even adjusted how they scrubbed rooms - choosing to change out equipment wheels after finding they were contributing to avoidable spikes.
Unit leaders credit the program with elevating awareness around noise as a clinical priority. Patients reported feeling more respected and able to rest, and departments began coordinating more intentionally around “quiet hours.”
The program is now being expanded, and teams from other hospitals are exploring it as a model to import.
Testimonial
“People don’t realize how much quietness plays a role. We’re not always mindful of our tone, the computers, the conversations - but for the patient, that peace and quiet makes all the difference.”
— EVS & Patient Experience Lead, NYC-area hospital
Contact us to learn more about how FeedbackNow can help improve your customer experience and operations!
