PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — Your experience in the emergency room might be changing, according to two new studies.
When a person comes to a hospital's emergency room, they expect timely and effective treatment. If someone has chest pain or an open wound, they are not concerned about the environment.
However, according to new research, the atmosphere of the emergency department — bright lights, bells and alarms beeping, health care providers rushing about — can add to anxiety and stress for many patients — especially those who are not critical. There is a growing movement to triage patients who are less critical to areas that look quite different and where many modern instruments and tools are somewhat hidden.
Some emergency rooms are adding a new feature. Studies have shown that therapy dogs can provide comfort and stress reduction in this setting and are now being incorporated into a growing number of emergency departments.
KYW Newsradio's Medical Reports are sponsored by Independence Blue Cross.
