New Recharge room opens at Upstate Hospital

SYRACUSE, N.Y. (WSYR-TV) — Working in the medical field can be a stressful environment. But Upstate Hospital is working to reduce some of that anxiety for its healthcare workers.

It’s Upstate’s first-ever Recharge Room.

“It is dim in light, it is calm. There’s a pleasing fragrance, and it’s quiet,” said Dr. Leslie Kohman, MD, FACS, chief wellness officer at Upstate University Hospital.

The new private space is only open to hospital employees who may be feeling stressed or overwhelmed.

“This is a space for staff to relax and recharge any time of the day or night when they have 10 or 15 minutes to come here,” said Dr. Kohman.

The recharge room opened on Monday, September 16 and is located on the hospital’s second floor near the cafeteria. It’s aimed to bring all staff at Upstate a sense of calmness throughout the day.

“They can get energized and can go back, do the rest of their shift in a much better mood. It will reduce interpersonal conflict. It will enhance professionalism and it will improve the quality of patient care,” said Dr. Kohman.

When employees enter the room, they will find two comfortable, spacious massage chairs and a large screen with a list of 10 experiences to choose from. Employees will need to read the screen in front of them to get the best experience.

To activate the room, they must say out loud “Elsewhere.” Once they hear the activation sound, they’ll be taken to the experience they’ve chosen. The 10 experiences include Glacier Bay, Redwood Forest, Infinity Cliffs, Misty Lake, Rain Forest, Secluded Beach, Sunrise Shores, Lighthouse Point, Peaceful River, and Northern Lights. The room is an entirely voice-activated system.

“Anyone knows that going out in nature makes them feel better. This not only improves their productivity and their sense of wanting to come to work and their likelihood to keep staying here working, but it also improves the state of the quality of care of our patients,” said Dr. Kohman.

The Recharge Room is open 24/7 to anyone with an Upstate ID.

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