Healthcare Wall Panels
Hospital and clinic walls need to do things standard office walls don't — survive chemical disinfection, resist impact from equipment, provide speech privacy for HIPAA, and absorb sound in noisy corridors and waiting rooms. Here are the wall panel solutions that work in healthcare environments.
Healthcare Wall Panel Requirements
The requirements are driven by infection control, privacy regulations, and the physical demands of a healthcare environment:
- Cleanability: Surfaces must withstand wiping and scrubbing with EPA-registered hospital disinfectants including bleach solutions, quaternary ammonium compounds, and hydrogen peroxide products. Standard fabric-wrapped panels don't survive this.
- Infection control: Panels should not harbor bacteria. Non-porous or antimicrobial surfaces are preferred in clinical areas.
- Impact resistance: Gurneys, wheelchairs, IV poles, and equipment carts hit walls constantly. Panels need to absorb or resist impact without damage.
- Acoustic performance: Waiting rooms, corridors, and shared patient areas are noisy. Exam rooms and offices need speech privacy. Wall panels address both.
- HIPAA speech privacy: Conversations about protected health information must not be intelligible outside the exam room. Wall panels contribute to room-to-room isolation. See our HIPAA acoustic privacy guide.
Panel Types for Healthcare
Vinyl-Wrapped Acoustic Panels
Fiberglass core with a vinyl face instead of fabric. The vinyl surface is non-porous, cleanable with hospital disinfectants, and impact-resistant. NRC 0.65–0.95 depending on thickness and mounting. These are the standard acoustic panel for clinical healthcare spaces.
High-Pressure Laminate (HPL) Panels
Perforated HPL faces with acoustic backing. Extremely durable, scrubbable, and available in medical-appropriate colors and wood-look finishes. NRC 0.50–0.75 depending on perforation pattern. More expensive than vinyl-wrapped but nearly indestructible.
PET Felt Panels (Non-Clinical Areas)
In waiting rooms, family lounges, and administrative areas where full hospital-grade cleanability isn't required, PET felt panels provide acoustic absorption with modern aesthetics. NRC 0.30–0.60. Not suitable for clinical areas.
Stretch Wall Systems
Track-mounted fabric over acoustic infill. For healthcare, specify vinyl or polyurethane-coated fabric that can be wiped clean. The seamless look works well in waiting rooms and corridors. See stretch wall panels.
Where to Place Panels
- Exam rooms: Panels on shared walls between adjacent exam rooms improve speech privacy. Vinyl-wrapped panels behind the patient and on the shared wall catch direct and reflected speech.
- Waiting rooms: Large, hard-surface waiting areas benefit from wall panels at ear height (3'–6' above floor). Reduces the overall noise level and helps patients hear their names called.
- Corridors: Long hospital corridors are noise channels. Panels on one or both sides reduce reverberation. Wall-mounted panels also double as corridor protection.
- Nurse stations: Open nurse stations are among the noisiest areas in hospitals. Panels on the back wall and sides absorb alarm sounds, conversation, and equipment noise.
- Consultation rooms: Full acoustic treatment for sensitive discussions. Panels plus high-CAC ceiling tiles plus sound masking.
Combining Wall Panels with Ceiling Treatment
Healthcare acoustics work best when wall and ceiling treatments are coordinated:
- High-NRC, antimicrobial ceiling tiles for baseline absorption
- Wall panels at reflection points for targeted speech privacy and noise reduction
- Sound masking systems for consistent background noise
This combined approach meets HIPAA requirements and creates a more comfortable healing environment.
Cost
- Vinyl-wrapped acoustic panels: $12–$25/SF installed
- HPL perforated panels: $20–$40/SF installed
- PET felt (non-clinical): $10–$25/SF installed
- Stretch wall: $15–$35/SF installed
Healthcare wall panels cost more than standard office panels due to the material requirements. Budget 15–25% more for healthcare-grade products. For broader ceiling project costs, see our cost guide.
Get a Healthcare Acoustic Assessment
Elite Acoustics Inc installs wall panels and ceiling systems in hospitals, clinics, and medical offices across Sacramento and Northern California. We understand healthcare-specific requirements and work within infection control protocols during renovation. Contact us for a consultation.