Steelcase Health Establishes Strategic Partnership with Aesthetic Audio Systems

Organizations share focus on creating healing, holistic environments

Chicago – June 15, 2009 – Steelcase Health, a leading manufacturer of furniture for healthcare environments, has engaged in a strategic alliance with Aesthetic Audio Systems, Inc., a developer and provider of designed music and video programming for a variety of healthcare settings.

Steelcase Health is a company with a bold vision to shape and improve the future of healthcare delivery. Steelcase Health focuses on healthcare environments as a whole and how the elements within those environments can help make them more comfortable, efficient and conducive to the healing process.

Aesthetic Audio Systems is an action-based research initiative that has been the leader in providing evidence-based-programs to assist hospitals in reducing noise and creating positive sonic environments. Their Acoustic Assessment process discerns and reports on specific sound and noise impediments to the desired patient experience. Then, in consideration of the Assessment’s report of findings, Aesthetic Audio Systems designs music (Harmonic Healthcare™) and video (MuViCure®) programming specifically for that hospital environment.

“Aesthetic Audio’s offerings fit perfectly with Steelcase Health’s commitment to develop and provide evidence-based, holistic, healing environments,” said Steelcase Health’s President Michael Love. “Audio and video can play a key role in the healing process and this is yet another partnership that will enhance our work with architects and designers to develop the best possible healthcare environment solutions.”

“Today, more than ever, sound and noise are important issues and concerns in hospitals. Authorities are measuring the impact of these issues and finding that patients are very attuned to the sound levels in hospitals,” said Aesthetic Audio Systems President David Corbin.

“Aesthetic Audio Systems provides Acoustic Assessments which measure and annotate noise issues and offer suggestions for their mitigation in a comprehensive report of findings. Then, the areas to provide music are determined in consideration of the sound qualities of the spaces so that the music is ‘sonically matched,” said Corbin.

Noted author and music specialist, Don Campbell (The Mozart Effect®), personally selects the Harmonic Healthcare music for the hospital spaces.

MuViCure – Music & Visual Cure® audiovisual programs are created in an interdisciplinary process between medical research and art, combining the clinically documented music, MusiCure® and high quality scenic films in a unique audiovisual expression appealing to our two major senses-visual and auditory.

The MuViCure® programs have been tested and proven by scientists in Europe and the United States to serve as a positive distraction during pre and post surgical procedures thus reducing stress, the need for pain medications and anxiety — by removing focus from the current environment.

“We’re thrilled to have Aesthetic Audio as part of the Steelcase Health team,” said Love. “Steelcase Health’s ‘best of class’ solutions to create holistic, highly efficient, healing spaces for patients, caregivers and partners in care will be greatly enhanced with the inclusion of the Aesthetic Audio deliverables — Harmonic Healthcare and MuViCure.”

Contacts

Libby Ferin
616.248.7038
eferin@steelcase.com

Michael Pflughoeft
414.270.7136
mpflughoeft@laughlin.com