1. Space-efficient and acoustically rated patient room doors
Commercial sliding door systems dedicate less usable space to door swings and approach clearances. For example, ExamSlide™ sliding doors can save up to 30 square feet per door. This means more square footage can be used for seating and furnishing, cabinets, mobile workstations and other essential items. Further, by eliminating door swing clearances and using no-twist ADA compliant hardware, ExamSlide is more accessible for all.
These sliding door systems are also available with drop-down bottom seals and gaskets to close up the problematic leaky perimeter gaps between the wall and door while still ensuring ease of operation. They comply with the Facility Guidelines Institute and ADA guidelines and can earn a Noise Isolation Class (NIC) rating of up to 39. Their high acoustic rating helps protect patient confidentiality, which provides necessary acute care room privacy.
2. Easily accessible patient bathroom doors
As evidenced in the first point, acute care rooms can easily become crowded and inaccessible due to the number of essential items and features that need to be present. These accessibility issues increase when patients need bed lifts to move from the bed to a wheelchair and beyond. When a patient room includes a bathroom, installing a sliding door can help save valuable space while also making operation easier, both of which aid accessibility goals for added patient comfort and satisfaction. Further benefiting patient use, the ExamSlide sliding door frame can be made in a Barrier Free configuration. This design option splits the top frame to accommodate a bed lift, allowing patients to be transported through the sliding door opening.
3. Hands-free technology for hospital room doors
Over the past few years, more emphasis has been placed on reducing potential points of infection. Because door handles are some of the most commonly touched surfaces in all buildings, they can host a variety of bacteria and viruses and pose a risk to hospital patients and staff. To reduce touchpoints, hands-free technology, like the AutoMotion™ system, can be added to most of AD Systems’ sliding doors. A quick wave or simple push of a button signals the door to open and close. Low-energy and quiet operators with safety sensors ensure a safe, hygienic and effortless passage.
4. Perimeter gaskets and seals for negative pressure rooms
While perimeter gaskets and drop-down seals can boost acoustic performance, they may also help hospital room doors meet isolation room requirements, per their test results to UL-1784 standard for air leakage. Both sliding and swinging doors are often considered the weak links in a wall assembly since they can have a slight gap between the door, its frame and the floor. The perimeter gaskets and drop-down seals on the ExamSlide system quickly and effectively seal the door’s perimeter to help airflow and pressure management systems create a safe and sealed off environment.
Advances in hospital doors allow for better designs
Advanced hospital room doors can save space, create accessible rooms, mitigate infection risk and provide flexibility in healthcare design. When specified carefully, they can help create a facility that is more efficient and more comfortable for patients and staff. However, to maximize the potential benefits, design teams may need multiple systems. AD Systems sliding and swinging door systems can work together and be customized to fit a wide range of performance goals while also providing a cohesive design aesthetic.
