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A nurse uses a stethoscope to check a newborn baby lying in a hospital cot, while the baby’s mother watches attentively, resting her hand on the cot. Medical equipment and a soft toy are nearby.
 

Acoustic solutions for healthcare spaces

 

Optimising sound environments for recovery and care

A hospital is like a small city that never sleeps. Patients come and go, medical staff rotate shifts, and corridors carry fast-moving transportation of critically ill patients. Hospitals are increasingly technology-dense environments with medical equipment and alarms present around the clock. All these activities create a soundscape that is not just background noise, but a key factor influencing health, wellbeing and safety.

In healthcare, a good sound environment is not a luxury but a vital component of care. It is a strategic infrastructure decision and a part of risk management, patient safety, and staff retention. It is a fundamental condition for a hospital to fulfil its mission; to help people heal while protecting those who care for them.

 
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How good acoustics support recovery and care

Why acoustics matter in healthcare

Noise is more than an annoyance; it is a serious health issue. High sound levels in hospitals impair sleep, increase stress, raise heart rates, and can lead to critical communication errors.

According to research, the benefits of a healthy sound environment include lowered blood pressure, improved quality of sleep, and enhanced staff wellbeing. By treating ceilings and walls with sound-absorbing materials, the results are measurable and profound.

A healthcare worker in scrubs and a white coat stands still in a busy hospital foyer as people walk quickly around him. The foyer is bright with natural light, modern decor, and round ceiling lights.
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A good sound environment can reduce cognitive stress by 11%

A surgeon in a blue gown, mask, and gloves stands in an operating theatre, smiling while preparing surgical instruments. Another medical professional, also in scrubs, is seated in the background.

Good acoustics in healthcare environments can lead to:

  • Improved communication
  • Lowered stress levels and blood pressure
  • Enhanced staff wellbeing, performance and job satisfaction
  • Improved quality of sleep
  • Improved patient safety
  • Reduced medication 
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Get deeper research insights on healthcare acoustics

We know acoustics

We work to better understand how sound affects healing, patient safety, and staff performance in healthcare environments. By collaborating closely with researchers, clinicians, and healthcare organisations, we translate evidence into acoustic guidance that supports design decisions in real hospital environments.

When healthcare spaces go beyond minimum acoustic requirements, they create better conditions for recovery, concentration, and clear communication, especially in demanding situations.

“A well-designed sound environment is not an extra. It is a fundamental part of healthcare spaces that support health, dignity, and sustainable care.”

Maria Quinn, Global Concept Developer Healthcare

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Get to know our experts
Five people stand in a modern office space, looking up at large colourful circular panels on the ceiling. One person gestures upwards while the others watch. The office has glass walls, plants, and bright lighting.

Requirements for healthcare facilities

Three scientists wearing lab coats and goggles work together at a laboratory bench, using a microscope and a laptop, with large windows in the background letting in natural light.

Demands in diverse healthcare environments

Healthcare environments are diverse, ranging from entrance halls, patient rooms and specialist areas to laboratories. Consequently, the acoustic solutions must not only absorb sound but also comply with rigorous functional and hygiene standards.

Hygiene without compromise

A common characteristic of healthcare environments is the need for specific hygiene protocols. Ecophon Hygiene™ systems are designed to withstand:

  • Advanced cleaning: options ranging from dry dusting and wet wiping to steam cleaning and high-pressure washing
  • Disinfection: resistance to common disinfection chemicals, Hydrogen Peroxide Vapour (HPV) and UV-C
  • Mould and bacteria resistance: products tested according to ISO 846 to ensure no growth of microorganisms
  • Pressurised rooms: the Hygiene products are mounted with clips. Air permeability values are available for negative and positive pressure on two products
  • Fire safety: the glass wool core is classified as non-combustible according to EN ISO 1182. Fire classification A2-s1,d0 by EN 13501-1
  • Indoor Air Quality (IAQ): products are tested to ensure low VOC emissions, contributing to a healthy indoor climate
  • Visuals and wellbeing: acoustics are felt, but design is seen. Our solutions allow you to create a calming visual atmosphere with light reflectance that supports efficient lighting and a healing ambience
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Read more about cleanability
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Acoustic design for healthcare environments

A medical examination room with a bed, stool, and computer. A person adjusts an overhead examination light. The room is clean, bright, and minimal, with white walls, wooden floors, and large windows.

How to design for recovery, concentration and wellbeing

An acoustic ceiling is the most effective starting point for improving acoustics in healthcare spaces, as it significantly reduces reverberation and background noise. A well-designed space typically includes:

  • Class A sound absorption to reduce overall noise levels
  • Reduced reverberation time for improved speech intelligibility, making communication and speech clear

We recommend applying acoustic solutions built on Activity-Based Acoustic Design. This method defines the room's requirements based on three perspectives: activity, people, and space.

Different spaces place different demands on acoustics

  • Clinical areas: focus on rest, privacy, and uninterrupted sleep
  • Corridors: need control of noise spread and reduced sound propagation
  • Specialist areas: require clear communication and high concentration
  • Public areas: create a calming atmosphere to reduce stress, support wayfinding, and facilitate conversation while ensuring privacy
  • Non-public areas: focus on proper sound insulation between rooms and good room acoustics that support communication for individual or group tasks
  • Elderly care: support communication, social interaction and a sense of security, while helping residents maintain independence and quality of life
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Get acoustic design tips for healthcare spaces
Acoustic ceiling with concealed grid in patient room
A bright, modern hospital corridor with numbered patient rooms on the left, a central nurses' station, white and blue walls, and medical equipment neatly arranged along the corridor.

Ecophon Hygiene™ product range

The extensive Ecophon Hygiene™ range combines high sound absorption with surfaces approved for regular cleaning and disinfection.

  • Hygiene Clinic: for dry areas, cleaned with dry and wet wiping
  • Hygiene Meditec: for dry areas with disinfection on a regular basis
  • Hygiene Protec: for cleanrooms and controlled environments with high hygiene demands
  • Hygiene Performance: for dry or humid areas with advanced cleaning regimes
  • Hygiene Advance: for dry or wet areas with daily advanced cleaning with strong chemicals
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See the complete Ecophon Hygiene™ range

Did you know?

In healthcare environments, noise can affect patient recovery, staff performance and overall wellbeing. Creating calm and well-functioning sound environments is therefore essential.

With the Ecophon Acoustic Calculator, you can predict the acoustic performance of a space and explore solutions – already at the design stage.

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Go to Ecophon Acoustic Calculator
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In a study at Huddinge University Hospital, the need for extra intravenous beta-blockers dropped by 67% when sound-absorbing ceilings were installed.

A modern, monochromatic green room with a desk labelled THE LAB in white and yellow letters, featuring sound equipment, a mannequin, speakers, and a microphone on a stand. Circular panels decorate the back wall.

What is noise and how does it impact patients and staff?

Visit The Lab to watch our short explanatory video about noise and other acoustic phenomena.

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Visit The Lab

Cases

Case study: A well-designed hospital helps patients recover faster

Why hospital environments matter for patient wellbeing

In a modern hospital where design, acoustics, and comfort were carefully considered, the impact on patient wellbeing was significant. A calm, well-balanced environment with reduced noise and thoughtfully designed spaces helped improve comfort, enhance safety, and support a faster and more positive recovery process.

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Read the full case
Acoustic ceiling with concealed grid in patient room

Explore more cases & projects

Free-hanging acoustic baffles in hospital atrium

Bory hospital

Bory, Slovakia

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White acoustic ceiling in psychiatric clinic patient room with wooden interior details and furniture and a dark green wall

Tampere Psychiatric Clinic

Tampere, Finland

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A modern hospital room with multiple medical devices mounted on the ceiling, including monitors and IV stands. The room is brightly lit with natural light from large windows and artificial light from the ceiling panels integrated in the acoustic ceiling. There are no people present in the image.

Sainte-Anne Hospital

Paris, France

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A modern, spacious building interior with a large wooden staircase. A person is walking up the stairs. The space features light wood accents, white walls, glass balustrades, and open, airy design with natural light.

Acoustics play a vital role in creating a humane care environment

Ahvenisto Hospital, known as Assi, was designed to be the world’s most humane hospital – supporting patient recovery and the work of healthcare professionals. Acoustics play an important part in achieving that vision.

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Frequently asked questions and answers

 

Tools & documentation

A person holds a silver pen over a printed sheet displaying wave-like graphs and data tables. The focus is on their hand and the document, suggesting analysis or note-taking.

Ecophon Acoustic Calculator

Get a sense of what a room will sound like before it's been built. With Ecophon Acoustic Calculator you will be able to estimate acoustic values already at the drawing table.

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A woman with long auburn hair is wearing a Pico virtual reality headset and headphones. She is in a bright, modern room with wooden floors and white furniture. Blurred artwork is displayed on the walls in the background.

Ecophon Immersive Acoustic Experience

We have developed virtual reality audio tools that demonstrate the critical difference between good and bad acoustics to our clients when on-site visits are unfeasible.

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Case studies collection - Healthcare

Want to learn more about how acoustics and sound affect healthcare? Since 1999, we have initiated, gathered and done research to understand how sound affects people.

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A baby lies in a hospital cot, looking up. Electrodes and medical wires are attached to the baby's chest and hand. The baby is covered with a patterned blanket, indicating a hospital or medical setting.

Ecophon Healthcare Guide

Sound plays a critical role in healthcare environments. Discover how optimised acoustics can support patient recovery, enhance staff performance, and improve safety – and explore expert guidance for every healthcare space.

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