In many healthcare environments, privacy is shaped less by policy than by the physical limits of space. Open layouts, high patient volumes and operational pressures often leave little room for confidential conversations or quiet moments. A new collaboration between ROOM, a modular architectural systems provider, and Carolina, a manufacturer of healthcare furnishings, introduces a modular approach that places small, self-contained spaces directly within existing clinical settings.
The ROOM x Carolina Phone Booth is a privacy pod developed for clinical settings, combining modular construction with materials and detailing suited to high-traffic medical environments. The system introduces enclosed, sound-controlled spaces without requiring structural changes, offering an alternative to traditional build-outs.
Noise, privacy and the limits of existing healthcare layouts
Healthcare facilities frequently operate above recommended acoustic thresholds. While guidance from the Facility Guidelines Institute and the World Health Organization (WHO) suggests patient areas should remain at or below 40 decibels, many hospitals record ambient levels between 50 and 70 decibels, with intensive care units (ICUs) and surgical areas often exceeding this range. Within such conditions, maintaining confidentiality becomes more complex, particularly for conversations involving sensitive information.
At the same time, regulatory requirements such as HIPAA call for acoustic privacy, yet spatial provision for enclosed, private areas is often constrained. Traditional construction approaches can be costly and time-intensive, contributing to a reliance on open planning strategies. In practice, this leaves limited provision for staff, patients and families to step aside for private communication or brief respite.
A modular approach to privacy within clinical environments
The Phone Booth introduces a self-contained enclosure designed to reduce external noise by 32 decibels through integrated soundproofing. The unit is designed for rapid installation, with deployment possible in approximately one hour, offering an alternative to permanent construction works.
Design development was informed by feedback from clinician partners, including members of the Nursing Institute for Healthcare Design. This input shaped decisions around usability, spatial comfort and the role of such enclosures within active care environments.
The pod incorporates high-pressure laminated work surfaces and a powder-coated metal door handle to support frequent cleaning. Interior wall fabrics are backed by Tekloom, intended to address hygiene requirements in clinical settings. Ventilation is managed through two low-noise fans designed to replace the internal air volume every 60 seconds.
Materials, certifications and cross-sector application
The unit is Greenhealth Approved and carries SCS Indoor Advantage Gold certification, meaning it complies with established limits for indoor air quality and volatile organic compound emissions. It has also received the Certified Autism Resource designation from the International Board of Credentialing and Continuing Education Standards.
While developed for healthcare, the system is applicable across other high-traffic environments, including transport hubs and hospitality settings, where similar demands for privacy and acoustic control are present.
The collaboration between ROOM and Carolina draws on the former’s experience in modular architectural systems and the latter’s background in healthcare furnishings. The resulting product is positioned as a flexible spatial solution that can be integrated into existing environments without extensive redesign, offering an alternative pathway to address privacy and acoustic requirements within operational constraints.
