UC San Diego Health - BIOS Lighting Case Study

Biological Light Solutions for Healthcare 

UC San Diego Health has opened a state-of-the-art unit specialised in treating seniors requiring emergency healthcare. The Gary and Mary West Emergency Department at UC San Diego Health in La Jolla, is the first in California to treat qualifying patients over the age of 65 in a dedicated space customised for geriatric emergency care.

The accredited geriatric emergency department features architectural design elements for older patients, such as carefully calibrated lighting and improved acoustics, safety and comfort.

‘Although we have been delivering specialised senior emergency care for more than two years, the new physical space allows older adults to be cared for in an environment that better meets their needs than a traditional emergency room setting. We are very excited to provide this unprecedented service to our senior patients and their caregivers’

VAISHAL TOLIA
MD, MPH, medical director of the Department of Emergency Medicine at UC San Diego Health.

The BIOS lights implemented have improved patient and staff wellbeing in UC San Diego Health’s geriatric emergency department (GED) in two crucial ways... Firstly by adding a heightened amount of circadian signal that not only orients patients to the actual time of day; but provides alertness during the daytime hours to improve mobility and reduce fall risk. Secondly, by providing a unique wavelength of light dedicated to visual assessment of patients in the SECU patient rooms.

‘Circadian entrainment is important to the GED staff for health and productivity, especially for those working longer or on overnight shifts. For short-stay, elderly patients, an important aspect of our lighting system is its unique wavelengths that enhance visibility of medical ailments, such as sepsis—a potentially life-threatening condition caused by the body’s response to infection.’

ROBERT SOLER
VP of Research at BIOS

(resource supplied by BIOS Lighting)

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