The strategies and concepts used in pediatric hospitals to help diminish the shock of hospitalization could be adapted for use in adult care settings to make the hospital environment a more healing and supportive place, posits an opinion piece published in the May 19, 2015, issue of Annals of Internal Medicine. According to the authors, pediatric care settings are more attuned to reducing the stress caused by disruptions in sleep, excessive fasting, excessive blood draws, and other environmental conditions and offer unique programs to uplift patients' spirits and reduce stress, such as child life specialists and family-centered rounds. Could these interventions create a gentler, more caring and respectful environment for hospitalized adults? Although data on the effects of such programs in adult care settings is sparse, the authors mention one clinical trial that demonstrated that nonpharmacologic techniques aimed at making the hospital a less frightening and disorienting place reduced delirium, functional decline, and length of stay among hospitalized older patients and several clinical trials demonstrating that music therapy and creative arts therapy reduced pain among cancer patients. Because recent evidence suggests that the transient period of elevated risk for readmission that patients experience postdischarge is related, in part, to the psychological and physiologic stress of hospitalization, the authors conclude that a more supportive, less disruptive experience could mitigate this stress, placing patients in a better position for recovery and possibly reducing their risk of readmission.

HRC Recommends: Healthcare in the United States is transforming from a provider-centered model to one that recognizes and incorporates the individual patient's needs and values, as suggested in the Annals of Internal Medicine opinion piece. Healthcare risk managers, patient safety officers, and individuals involved in quality improvement can readily appreciate the inherent value of patient-centered care. Risk managers, in particular, see when patients' frustration with their hospital experience contributes to patient complaints and legal action. Risk managers are also well equipped to collect data to better examine the impact of patient-centered care on patient safety in their facilities.