Typing in a Hospital Waiting Lobby

This is a sound recording of typing on a desktop computer keyboard at the patient resource station in the waiting lobby of the Duke Cancer Center (3^rd floor). In addition to the waiting lobby, the sound of typing is prevalent in many aspects of the healthcare system, including in the appointment rooms where physicians or trained scribes take electronic notes of the patient-physician conversation. While this sound implies documentation of important points of a conversation, it can also hinder conversation between a patient and physician. Hearing the sound can make patients anxious in the appointment room or make them feel uncomfortable that their words are being noted down. The need to type and take notes on what the patient is saying may also distract the physician from actively listening and participating in the conversation. Ultimately, typing serves as a barrier to a close and trusting relationship between the patient and physician.