SEOUL NATIONAL UNIVERSITY HOSPITAL

- Eliminating ambient noise and ensuring medical staff voices are clear... Installation of wireless assistive communication devices

- Securing ‘Equal Access to Medical Care’ by installing 8 units at 5 key contact points, including the otolaryngology department, administrative counter, and auditorium

[Photo 1] “Smart Hearing Loop” system installed in the Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology consultation room

[Photo 2] “Smart Hearing Loop” system installed in front of the Adult Otorhinolaryngology nurse counseling room (From left: Young-Tae Kim, President of Seoul National University Hospital (4th), and Jin-Soo Moon, Chief for Division of Public Health (5th), attending the commemorative event for the establishment of the “Smart Hearing Loop” system)

Seoul National University Hospital (SNUH), led by President Young-Tae Kim, announced on the April 20th that it has established a “Smart Hearing Loop” system in key areas throughout the hospital to support smoother communication for patients with hearing loss who use cochlear implants or hearing aids.

Due to the nature of hospitals as high-traffic public facilities, background noise often makes it difficult for patients to hear medical consultations or public announcements clearly. Seoul National University Hospital plans to proactively introduce barrier-free infrastructure, which is recently expanding in public facilities, to enhance convenience for hearing-impaired patients increasing due to the aging population and to strengthen its obligation to guarantee medical accessibility for the disabled as a national central hospital.

The newly introduced hearing loop system is an international-standard wireless assistive technology designed to eliminate surrounding noise and deliver only the speaker’s voice with clarity. When medical staff speak through the microphone, the system converts the speech into a magnetic field signal and transmits it; patients wearing hearing aids or cochlear implants equipped with the ‘T-Mode’ function can hear voices clearly without ambient noise by activating this mode. Additionally, general visitors can also connect to the system using personal wireless earphones or headsets via the ‘Bluetooth AuraCast’ function.

Taking into account patient flow and ambient noise levels, a total of eight devices were installed across five major locations: ▲Pediatric Otorhinolaryngology Consultation Room 1 ▲Adult Otorhinolaryngology Consultation Room 1 ▲Adult Otorhinolaryngology Nurse Counseling Room ▲Deahan Outpatient Administrative Service Center ▲Seoseonghwan Hall at the Cancer Hospital. The system is expected to provide barrier-free access to information in settings ranging from one-on-one medical consultations to large auditorium events, helping patients communicate more independently while reducing the burden on caregivers.

In particular, this project was carried out with the Public Health and Medical Support Fund donated by sponsor Young-sul Lee, adding further meaning to the act of sharing.

Jin-Soo Moon, Chief for Division of Public Health at SNUH, said, “Accurate communication with medical staff is a key factor in protecting patient safety and enhancing treatment effectiveness,” adding, “Starting with the introduction of the Smart Hearing Loop, we will continue to lower the barriers to medical services and create a disability-friendly environment where anyone can receive medical care comfortably.”