The aim of Music as Medicine (MAM)

MAM aims to improve upon the care offered to patients by implementing music as an innovative, evidence-based healthcare treatment. Music is a new, sustainable treatment method that has no side effects and can be considered both preventative and economical. The fact that music is easily accessible, in combination with its minimal costs, makes it widely applicable.

Please view our introduction video here.

Prof. Dr. Hans Jeekel on Music as Medicine

Music as Medicine founder Prof. Dr. Hans Jeekel explains in this video what Music as Medicine stands for and why music is such a powerful tool in patient care.

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Francis van Broekhuizen

Music as a Medicine is proud to announce that Francis van Broekhuizen will be working as an ambassador for Music as a Medicine: "I’ve known for years that music can have a healing effect! The fact that Erasmus MC is conducting scientific research into the healing effect of music is proof to me that music is very important", says Francis.

Project Funding

MAM is entirely dependent on external contributions for funding.

Erasmus MC contributes to the indirect costs, but cannot cover the needed amount from its current budget. MAM is therefore still dependent on third parties for its success.

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Projects

Here are some of the research projects of the Music as Medicine Fund’s doctoral students

Improve-study

For the first time, music will now be able to be introduced as a scientifically proven treatment in all surgeries. The second phase of this study, the implementation phase, will examine the obstacles, logistical and practical implications among patients, specialists, nurses and other stakeholders in introducing recorded music around surgical procedures.

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MUSYC-study: brain surgery and delirium in adults

Neurosurgical operations are complex procedures, which have a very significant impact on the patient’s experience. Surgeries on brain tumors in particular are often accompanied by stress and anxiety. This can increase the risk of developing delirium (acute confusion). In a study, we will investigate whether music before, during and after surgery can also prevent the development of delirium.

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Big Five-study

A large proportion of patients admitted to the hospital experience five complications, "the Big five": anxiety, stress, pain, sleep problems, and delirium. Exactly how common these complications are will be studied. The goal of the Big Five project is to use music as a preventive treatment to prevent these complications from occurring in the Dutch healthcare system. This Big Five project aims to create awareness in the hospital world about these common five complications.

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Music Decare-study

Within this large-scale study, we will examine whether listening to music has an effect, not only briefly, but also in the longer term, on neuropsychiatric symptoms in people with dementia living at home, and what the impact of this is on stress levels and the health of the family caregiver. For this purpose, the effects on quality of life, mood, behavior, stress, anxiety, communicative and cognitive skills will be monitored.

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Relacs-study

This study is done in the intensive care unit of Erasmus MC. In the ICU the patient often has to deal with anxiety, pain, sleep disturbance , the risk of delirium is higher and freedom of movement is very limited. This leads to a higher risk of complications and risk of a longer hospital stay. The main objective of this study is to investigate whether music can reduce the need for narcotics and analgesics.

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MChopin-study

Each year in the Netherlands, 25,000 elderly people end up in hospital with a broken hip. This vulnerable patient group, with an average age of 79 years, has a lot of pain and a high risk of complications, including delirium. This acutely occurring confusion, cognitive problems and fluctuating consciousness occurs in 25-40% of patients.

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IMPECT-study

We have found the scientific evidence so far in adults, but not yet in children/adolescents.

Ryan is conducting research in this patient group. Since September 2017, he has been working at Music as Medicine, focusing on the effects of music on pain and anxiety in children and young adults undergoing surgery for a funnel chest, the IMPECT study.

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Impromptu-study

The goal of the Impromtu study is to improve the quality of life of patients undergoing surgery of the esophagus or stomach by investigating the potentially beneficial effects of music on pain, anxiety, stress and medication use. The mechanism of action of the beneficial effect of music during surgery is also being investigated.

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