Description and comparison of healthcare sounds

Within the clinical literature and the popular press, the noise from particular pieces of healthcare equipment or certain clinical environments is described by giving an example that is supposed to orient the reader. But these examples are often very misleading and may be in inappropriate. Outdoor everyday sounds are compared with interior healthcare sounds and steady sounds are compared with impulsive sounds. This discussion will explore better descriptions of healthcare and everyday sounds with the goal of providing better comparisons. Illustrated by examples currently in the literature we will discuss what constitutes a useful comparison and what attributes of the sounds need to be considered. Better descriptions of healthcare noise sources will help in the control of hospital soundscapes.