High performance medical clinics: Evaluation of speech privacy in open-plan offices and examination rooms

Abstract

Speech privacy evaluations of open plan doctors' offices and examination rooms were done at two clinics. One was in Las Vegas and the other in El Dorado Hills. The building were designed to put doctors closer to patients and for a cost savings. ASTM E1130, ASTM E336, and NRC guidelines were used to evaluate these spaces. For E1130, sound is produced at the source location with calibrated speakers, then measurements are made at receiver positions. The speaker faces the receiver. Only open plan furniture separated the source from the receiver. The examination rooms used partial height walls with a single layer of gypsum board on each face. Standard doors without seals were used. CAC 40 rated ceiling tile were installed. The cubicle furniture included sound absorption and was 42 to 60 in. tall. The Privacy Index was quite low, ranging from 30 to 66%. The NIC rating of the walls without doors ranged from 38 to 39, giving PI ratings of 83 to 84%. With a door, the NIC rating was 30 to 31 with PI ratings of 72. These results do not meet the requirements of the Facility Guideline Institute or ANSI 12 Working Group 44.