Our veterans deserve music that can help them heal, physically and emotionally. Since Surgical Serenity Solutions began providing pre-loaded headphones for surgical patients in 2009, the VA hospitals have been our #1  customer. Music therapy has always been important at VA hospitals and that is actually where the modern day music therapy profession first took root, right after WWII when soldiers cam back with serious injuries and mental health issues that left them depressed and with PTSD (although that term was not yet used right after WWII.)

How our relationship began

Our first interaction with VA hospitals came in 2013 when the Robley Rex VA hospital in Louisville, Kentucky suggested doing a research study under the guidance of Dr. Earl Gaar, Chief of Surgery there. Dr Gaar is also a gifted trumpet player and was well aware of the power of music with all populations inside the VA hospital and clinics there. But surgery was an area that had never been considered for their music therapy services because outsiders cannot be in a surgery procedure. Only the patient, surgeon, anesthesiologist and various nurses can be in the operating rooms.

In addition, when he read my writings about music medicine in surgery, he realized that ambient music is really not heard by the patient, but music that comes through headphones directly through the eighth cranial nerve is perceived. And the patient’s body (heart-rate and breathing} are able to entrain or synchronize, to the slow, steady pulse of the music. The music that the surgeon chooses is not heard by the patient and that’s a good thing because the OR staff typically chooses something upbeat in tempo and mood, and that is really not best for the patient.

The study was conducted during 2014-2015 and was looking at whether or not patients receiving our Surgical Serenity music through preloaded headphones perceived less pain during and after their procedure. As we expected, the patients listening to our therapeutic classical playlist, experienced significantly less pain.

Read the study here. 

Since this study was published in 2015, many other VA hospitals from around the country have purchased and utilized our preloaded headphones for  surgery as well as pain management, behavioral health, and even OB/GYN. Other VA hospitals have now also purchased our preloaded MP3 players which are very cost-effective when bought in quantity.

But we’ve really just scratched the surface. In 2023 we added the pre-loaded MP3 players to our list of products. The MP3 players are a way to maximize the hospitals with a smaller budget by offering 4-5 players for the price of one pre-loaded headphones. The only difference is that the headphones are cordless and the MP3 players have cords.

Why VA Hospitals are so important right now

As of 2026, our country is at war. The war was totally unexpected and is now dragging on much longer than expercted. Wounded veterans are already being admitted to our already busy hospitals. While the numbers of veterans increase, the number of employees is decreasing. Not only are there not enough surgeons and anesthesiologists being employed, there are not nearly enough music therapists on staff. Music therapists are trained to do group therapy as well is individual music therapy. But rarely do veterans get an individual music therapy session.

You can help our Vets with therapeutic music

If you are a medical professional or hospital administrator, you can provide comfort and healing with these powerful yet cost-effective players and playlists. Many VA hospitals are already using them with great results.

For more information go to our Home page and look under the “For Medical Facilities” heading. 

If you have questions, contact us here