Soundscape Challenges in Surgery and Interventional Medicine: Squaring the Circle?

The operating theater (along with other intervention areas such as cath labs, intensive care units, etc.) occupies a special position in a hospital in many respects. It represents a scene of most challenging teamwork with little fault tolerance and at the same time one of the most fear-laden places for patients. In sum, anxiety and stress seem to be inextricably linked with medical interventions - both for patients and staff. This has considerable consequences, not only on situational well-being but also on healing processes and long-term outcome, as well as on healthcare costs. In this melange, acoustic aspects stand centrally. Soundscape can function as a major stress factor as well as a source of stress mitigation. Yet, requirements for adequate soundscape standards in this field are extraordinarily complex and demand sophisticated concepts due to widely different - and sometimes even contradictory - acoustic needs and interests of the persons concerned. Regarding individual sound perception in connection with other sensory stimuli is the key approach to this issue. Intelligent and differentiated soundscape design, using latest technological achievements, can help to reduce stress for all persons concerned and enhance procedural safety and efficacy.