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Much can be learned about adult health care from pediatric practices, according to health services researchers.
Family involvement is one area where pediatric care can be modeled. In adult care, family members are often kept at a distance, despite their potential to improve outcomes.
In pediatric hospitals, emotional comfort is treated as essential to healing. Children are offered music therapy, pet visits, interactive programming, and calming environments — not as extras, but as part of their care. In adult hospitals, those same needs are often overlooked.
A recent commentary co-authored by Dr. Leonard Berry of Texas A&M University Mays Business School argues that it’s time for that to change.
“Adults deserve the same thoughtful attention to their emotional well-being that children receive,” said Berry, a distinguished professor of marketing and a senior fellow at the Institute for Healthcare Improvement. “Fear, boredom and anxiety don’t disappear with age, they just get ignored more often.”
The article, published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Innovations, Quality & Outcomes, outlines how pediatric practices can inspire improvements in adult inpatient care.
At Mount Sinai Hospital, KidZone Television lets children interact with live shows from their rooms. Child life specialists and music therapists provide bedside support during procedures. These interventions have been shown to reduce pain, anxiety, and recovery time.
Joy isn’t a distraction from care. It’s a powerful antidote to fear, anxiety and discomfort.
-Dr. Leonard L. Berry
Distinguished Professor of Marketing Mays Business School
Berry sees clear opportunities to adapt these ideas for adults. “Cooking demos, film clubs, guided walks — these are simple, low-cost ways to bring joy and connection into the hospital setting,” he said.
At New York Presbyterian Hospital, a licensed creative arts specialist helps adult patients through music therapy and even songwriting.
“These aren’t expensive overhauls,” he said. “They’re thoughtful adjustments that honor the human side of care.”
Family involvement is another area where pediatric care can be modeled. Parents are often present during procedures, helping to comfort and support their children. In adult care, family members are often kept at a distance, despite their potential to improve outcomes.
“Family presence in the hospital room and their inclusion in treatment discussions held with the patient can make a big difference,” Berry noted. “Clinicians should remember to thank family members for being present.”
Design also matters. Pediatric hospitals use warm lighting, nature-themed decor, and interactive art to create calming spaces. Berry suggests adult hospitals could make similar changes. An especially important change is one of the simplest: include a chair in patient rooms to encourage clinicians to sit during conversations, leading patients to view them as more caring and better listeners.
The commentary also connects these ideas to hospital performance. Enhancing comfort and engagement can reduce length of stay, improve patient satisfaction scores, and influence reimbursement rates. Pet therapy, for example, has been shown to reduce delirium, which can shorten hospitalization.
“Joy isn’t a distraction from care,” Berry said. “It’s a powerful antidote to fear, anxiety and discomfort.”
The article was co-authored by Dr. Michael K. Hole, University of Texas-Austin; Sunjay Letchuman, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai; and Dr. Jennifer Gates, Mt. Sinai Hospital.
