In the Clubhouse: The Alarms in Hospitals are Killing Us - Part 2

<p><em>“We go through all these things and talk about all these problems with annoying sounds and how important it is for the bellows sounds to be informative. And all this just hearkens back to the point where the essential goal here of these so-called auditory ‘alarms’ isn't to alarm, it's to notify. And I think if we can use better sounds like that, whether it's those bellow sounds or some of the ones Judy came up with, for the new standards, we can accomplish the same goal, which is communication and notification without the annoyance.” -- </em>Professor Michael Schutz</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p>This episode continues our Clubhouse discussion as Professor Michael Schutz, Professor Judy Edworthy, Dr. Elif Özcan, and Dr. Joseph Schlesinger lead a variety of questions and comments about medical alarms, hospital soundscapes, and creating a more healing auditory environment.</p><p>As always, if you have any questions for my guest, you’re welcome to reach out through the links in the show notes.&nbsp; If you have questions for me, just visit <a href="http://www.audiobrandingpodcast.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.audiobrandingpodcast.com</a> where you’ll find all sorts of ways to get in touch. Plus, subscribing to the newsletter (on the <a href="http://www.audiobrandingpodcast.com/" rel="noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">www.audiobrandingpodcast.com</a> webpage) will let you know when the new podcasts are available.</p><p>&nbsp;</p><p><strong>No Cause for Alarm</strong></p><p>The second half of the discussion starts with a look at alarms, and whether we might be using the wrong word to describe them. “We call them ‘alarms,’” Mike notes, “but for the most part I don't think they’re actually intended to be alarming.” The panelists take a question from Andrea about whether industry rating systems, such as the UK-based Quiet Mark certification, might help prompt a change, and Judy talks about how deep our expectations about the way hospitals are supposed to sound can run. “It’s completely embedded in our