A perfumed hospital

March 14, 2008

A perfumed hospital

Jesús Lorente

The USB Hospital in Marbella is using pleasant-smelling perfumes throughout the

building to achieve a more welcoming ambience

WE all tend to remember smells, however much time has passed, and to associate

certain smells with certain places. Like hospitals, for example, which seem to

have a characteristic smell all over the world. This is, perhaps, due to the

sterilising materials used in hospitals and clinics everywhere, or cleaning

products that are essential to cleanliness in all hospitals and health centres.

And although this smell may not be disagreeable for most of us, it makes many

people nervous as soon as they walk through the hospital doors.

The good news is that the USP Hospital in Marbella has decided to use fragrance

as a means of welcoming people in and making them feel more comfortable. This

prestigious private clinic is now using the fragrance of talcum powder, which

is, of course, reminiscent of childhood, in its paediatric rooms, while the

fragrance chosen for the rest of the hospital is that of fresh wood with touches

of peach. These fragrances have been chosen as a means of reducing stress among

patients, employees and visitors, while at the same time camouflaging any

remnants of the clinical smells of sterilising and cleaning materials that are

necessary in any hospital.

Choice

The choice of each of these fragrances is also based on psychological factors,

in that the smell of talcum powder used in the paediatric unit is one that we

all remember from childhood, and the smell of fresh wood is one we associate

with woodlands and gardens.

The concept behind the use of fragrances in hospitals is part of a so-called

‘olfactory marketing’ strategy, we are told by the manager of the hospital in

Marbella, Mercedes Mengíbar, who tells us that “aromas have a powerful effect on

our memories and are capable of instant association with time and place.”

Following a trial period during which the hospital management worked closely

with the specialist ‘olfactory marketing’ company Aromarketing, the two

fragrances were chosen, taking into account the favourite smells of both

patients and hospital workers.

We are also informed that, although this began as a pilot project, the concept

of ‘olfactory marketing’ will soon be extended to all the hospitals belonging to

the USP group throughout the country.

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