Aquarium and Hospital
Aquarium and Hospital - Bring Calming Marine Environment to Patients
New technology makes aquarium viewing a reality in the hospital emergency waiting room
Newport, Oregon—In a collaborative effort between the Oregon Coast Aquarium and Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital (SPCH), a video camera has been installed in the Passages of the Deep exhibit and is feeding live images of the Aquarium to the hospital’s emergency department waiting area. The camera uses new technology to produce real-time video images using an embedded Mpeg4 encoder.
SPCH had been considering installing an aquarium as part of plans to remodel and enlarge its emergency department, but the costs of operation and maintenance were a concern. Aquariums are known to have a calming effect on people, which is important in an emergency waiting room of a hospital, where people may be in crisis.
“We actually have compelling scientific evidence that a ‘natural environment,’ whether it is a view of a garden or, in this case, a beautiful underwater scene, actually helps patients stay calm as they deal with the stress of being in a hospital. Fish aquariums have proven relaxation effects on people who are in stressful waiting situations, whereas televisions have been proven to have the opposite effect. This collaboration with the Oregon Coast Aquarium in Newport will be wonderful for our patients. The virtual aquarium is a perfect solution for us,” said Melissa Swancutt, Vice President and Director of Nursing Services at SPCH.
Aquarium President Dale Schmidt agreed, saying, “This is a great opportunity for us to help our community by providing a beautiful aquarium scene in our hospital. Nature is a great stress reliever and we hope people will experience a moment of calm during stressful situations as they view the live aquarium feed. SPCH is a special partner and we are pleased to assist their patients by providing this exciting technology.”
Aquarium Technical Director, Harlyn Jenkins, who coordinated the effort with Hospital technical staff, said this is the first time this has been done using the new technology in this manner. “We are one of the first aquariums in the United States to use this technology,” said Jenkins. “There were a few technical challenges we had to overcome in order to make it work.”
Originally developed for manta ray research, the camera system, developed by Ocean Presence Technologies, is now available for other applications. The IP camera and underwater housing have been specially designed for depths of up to 30 feet deep and 300 feet away from an Internet connection.
The Oregon Coast Aquarium is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit educational attraction dedicated to the highest quality aquatic and marine science programs for recreation and education so the public better understands, cherishes, and conserves the world’s natural marine and coastal resources. For more information, visit the Aquarium’s Web site at www.aquarium.org or call (541) 867-FISH.
Photo Caption: Hospital and Aquarium staff members are all smiles as the new underwater Aquaricam was activated successfully yesterday in the emergency waiting room of Samaritan Pacific Communities Hospital. L to R: Mike Larimer, SPCH Director of Engineering, Melissa Swancutt, Vice President Nursing Services, Harlyn Jenkins, Aquarium Technical Director, Linda Kilbride, SPCH Foundation Executive Director and Kiel Christofferson, Aquarium IT Technician.
