April 16, 2003—A new brochure produced by USG Interiors, Inc. and Lencore Acoustics Corp. details how architects, contractors, designers, building owners and other building/construction industry professionals can meet the new Healthcare Insurance Portability & Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) requirements for oral privacy.
This mandate requires that technical and physical safeguards to protect the privacy of personal health information (PHI) in electronic, paper and oral forms must be in place by April 14, 2003, in pharmacies, doctors offices, universities, hospitals, military medical bases and other settings where health information is discussed. In the vast majority of cases, upgraded acoustical ceiling panels and a quality sound-masking system may be sufficient to meet HIPAA oral privacy standards.
Although bringing facilities into HIPAA compliance may not require extensive renovations or exorbitant expense, it provides a significant opportunity for architects, contractors, interior designers and facility managers. Consultation counters, pharmacy areas and other key sections of office space where medical discussions and transactions might be overheard are the most likely locations needing improvements.
The brochure includes detailed information about the HIPAA requirements, explains how sound can be measured and controlled, and describes how a simple two-part solution may meet the new standards.
As the brochure notes, contractors and their clients should consider upgrading their ceiling panels from general-purpose panels to those offering a higher noise reduction coefficient and ceiling attenuation class (the NRC measures the degree to which a ceiling panel absorbs sound, while the CAC indicates the ability to reduce sound transmission). Ceiling panels with NRC and CAC ratings of .70 or higher and 30 and higher, respectively, are recommended.
Even the most acoustically effective ceiling panels will most likely need enhancement, says USG. This can be achieved with the addition of sound masking, which introduces an ambient background sound into open spaces using speakers installed in the plenum above a suspended ceiling system. Set several decibels above conversational speech, personal healthcare information can be rendered unintelligible to those nearby.
USG Interiors has teamed with Lencore Acoustics to offer affordable solutions in meeting the new HIPAA oral privacy requirements. Using recommended acoustical ceiling panels and sound masking can significantly reduce the amount of sound reflected within a space, significantly attenuate sound transmission to adjacent spaces and render conversations at consultation counters unintelligible to those in nearby display and waiting areas.
For a free copy of the new brochure, contact USG Interiors or call 800/USG-4YOU.
