Take Note
Dr. Tanaka’s
favorite music
is classic rock!
IN 1914, PENNSYLVANIA SURGEON DR. EVAN
O’NEILL KANE, LUGGED A GRAMOPHONE INTO THE
OPERATING ROOM TO PLAY MUSIC FOR A PATIENT.
That moment is considered to be one of the first uses of music
as medical therapy. Dr. Kane found the compositions calmed
patients before operations and over time, songs became
increasingly integrated into clinical care. Today, physicians
often play music during operations for the therapeutic benefits
it has on their own state of mind. Whether a procedure
takes 25 minutes or eight
hours, Dr. Tanaka said,
Above: Dr. Tanaka in one of the
“I think most people enjoy
operating rooms that was outfitted
listening to music during
with new equipment.
surgery because it sets up
a nice mood and brings out people’s individual personalities.
Every surgeon and staff member is different and I think that the
playlist kind of establishes a mood for the room and the case.”
One such physician is Dr. Alan Tanaka, an anesthesiologist who
has worked at Pali Momi Medical Center for 25 years. Thanks
to Dr. Tanaka’s generous donation of audio equipment to the
Pali Momi Operating Room, doctors and staff have the chance
to share music with each other and play the songs that help
them stay focused and calm. He bought shelving, phone dock-
ing stations and battery chargers for all seven operating rooms. Dr. Tanaka, a self-proclaimed audiophile, gave more than just
equipment. He selected different audio systems for each room
to ensure the sound was optimal. He then spent a Saturday
morning installing it all so teams could play their favorite tunes
with just the press of a button.
Below: The OR team planned a mahalo gathering for Dr. Tanaka.