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CONTACT: Ernie Rodriquez 310.510.0541

SERENEVIEW™ CUBICLE CURTAINS TAKE NIGHTINGALE AWARD
Sereneview™ Curtains By Artist E. Rodriguez Honored at Healthcare Symposium
Research Shows Viewing Nature Imagery Promotes Healing

AVALON, Calif., Oct. 21, 2002 –The debut line of Sereneview™ cubicle curtains was awarded the coveted “Nightingale Award” sponsored by Facilities Design & Management, the Center for Health Design, and Imark Communications at the Fall Symposium on Healthcare Design at Chicago’s Navy Pier, October 2 - 5. The curtains, which surround patients with nature landscapes by photographic artist Ernesto Rodriguez, are designed to enhance healing by reducing stress.

The Symposium on Healthcare Design is produced by the Center for Health Design, an organization that advocates incorporating therapeutic design elements into health care environments to promote well-being for patients, staff and visitors.

“This is the highest moment in my professional life,” says Rodriquez, whose Sereneview™ curtains represent the fusion of his two careers as an internationally acclaimed artist and as a psychologist. Rodriguez was inspired to develop the curtains after visiting an ailing friend in a sterile traditional hospital room. “Through studying the research literature I learned that art, nature scenes, and color can be therapeutic tools in the healing process. I then consulted with authors of the research to select appropriate images for the health facility environment,” Rodriguez continued.

Sereneview™ curtains were tested in several hospitals over the past few months, including facilities at Kaiser Permanente, Tenet Healthcare, HCA, Universal Health Services, and Avalon Municipal Hospital.

William Greene, FACHE, CEO of Avalon Municipal reported, “The curtains have provided several important benefits. Not only have they had an uplifting effect on our patients, they have positively impacted our staff of care providers as well by generating positive feelings and helping to boost morale.”

Ms. Texas Gustavson, Regional Vice-President for Universal Health Services (Nevada), said the Sereneview curtains are a "beautiful and positive addition to our surgical center environment. They have had an uplifting effect on patients, physicians and other staff.”

Many experts in the field are encouraging health care administrators to consider holistic approaches to patient care in the face of heightened attention to patient outcomes and to lowering overall costs. The theory is that stress free patients heal faster.

“As a health care facility administrator, I need to listen to what patients say they want,” stated Greene. “Privacy and a calming, stress-free environment are at the top of most lists. At the same time, I have to remain focused on costs. Sereneview™ curtains are easy to use and economical; they have completely and easily transformed many of our patient rooms.”

Sereneview™ was founded by artist Ernesto Rodriguez, and is headquartered in Avalon on Catalina Island, California. The company develops and markets Sereneview™ cubicle curtains for use in the health facility industry. Sereneview™ cubicle curtains surround the patient with Rodriguez’ calming nature scenes to enhance healing and to promote well-being. The competitively priced curtains meet all the strictest hospital standards. To learn more about Sereneview™ cubicle curtains; and for pricing and ordering information, please visit www.sereneview.com or call 888.515.6578.