A tool to improve clinical processes and the patient experience

Improving clinical processes also means taking care of how patients feel during medical tests.
This is the premise behind the startup Bettso, which has developed a solution based on sound experiences to reduce anxiety and nervousness in hospital environments. This tool, based on immersion in soundscapes during medical procedures, has recently been tested in a proof of concept with Hospital General de Granollers.

Technology adapted to complex clinical environments

Bettso’s solution incorporates MRI-compatible certified headphones, specifically designed to operate safely in hospital environments without interfering with medical equipment. Through sound, the technology accompanies patients during the procedure and fosters a sense of calm and control, especially in situations that may cause distress.

In addition to Hospital General de Granollers, Bettso collaborates with other healthcare centres in the development of trials and proof-of-concept projects, including Institut Guttmann, Bellvitge University Hospital, Sant Joan de Déu Hospital, Mar Hospital and Hospital Clínic de Barcelona.

The care processes where the solution is being applied include oncology treatments, stroke care, psychiatry, emergency services and magnetic resonance imaging, demonstrating its versatility across different clinical settings.

Direct impact on the development of medical procedures

The study was conducted with a sample of 305 patients, and the results show that 87.8% of participants believe the auditory experience made the care process more pleasant. In addition, 75.7% stated that sound helped reduce nervousness, while 53.1% reported a decrease in subjective anxiety.

The results also show improvements in key indicators for the functioning of healthcare services. Overall patient anxiety decreased by 1.4 points on a Likert scale from 1 to 10. One of the most relevant indicators is the reduction in procedure interruptions due to claustrophobia: only 0.3% of procedures had to be stopped, a figure well below the hospital’s historical rate of around 3%.

According to the study, the sound experience also helps reduce patient movement during procedures, improving image quality in processes such as MRI scans, as well as lowering heart rate, an objective indicator of reduced stress.

Presence at 4YFN within the health innovation ecosystem

Bettso is one of the startups that will be present at the Catalonia Health Innovation Ecosystem, the stand that brings together key players in digital health and social innovation in Catalonia. The stand, promoted by the TIC Salut i Social Foundation together with Biocat, has the collaboration of the Departments of Health and of Social Rights and Inclusion, the Catalan Health Institute, the Catalan Health Service, La Unió, the Consortium for Health and Social Care of Catalonia (CSC), ACES, the Third Sector Social Board of Catalonia and ACRA.

During the first week of March, Bettso will be one of the representatives of the business fabric working on the transformation of the healthcare system and clinical processes.