Preliminary study of a University Hospital outdoor noise environment based on monitoring and soundscape

Noise in hospital wards can significantly impact patients and healthcare staff, disrupting physiological processes and contributing to stress and annoyance. In this context, outdoor healthcare spaces are essential in creating a healing environment that positively affects human well-being. While indoor hospital acoustics have been widely studied, research on outdoor hospital soundscapes remains limited. Within a two-year project, the study presented in this paper features a soundscape alongside noise monitoring techniques, focusing on the external area of the Sant' Orsola University Hospital in Bologna. By integrating these methods, the analysis uncovered aspects of the hospital's acoustic environment that conventional approaches might miss. A pilot soundwalk was conducted with 21 participants according to Method A of ISO 12913-2. Binaural audio recordings were measured to assess psychoacoustic parameters, e.g., loudness and psychoacoustic annoyance. Preliminary findings reveal elevated noise levels near a hospital pavilion, with values exceeding Italian legal limits by 8.5 dB during the day and 11.5 dB at night. The study identified a highly variable acoustic environment, distinguishing between quiet, active and traffic-dominated areas. The results show a strong correlation between traditional sound level measurements and soundscape analysis, highlighting the importance of a holistic approach to noise assessment in hospitals.