From ward to wonderland
More to think about
Right now Walt Disney is putting the final touches to a collection of Disney characters that will lend their magic to the new, three-story lobby of the Walt Disney Pavilion at Florida Hospital for Children.
Characters from “The Lion King” and “The Jungle Book” will have leading roles in the hospital’s interactive lobby, which is due to open early 2010.
Children will be able to draw on a cave wall, make jungle sounds on musical step pads, fish for virtual salmon or play in a magical world of popping bubbles and dancing sea horses. And each night as the sun sets, the lobby ceiling will transform into a celestial display to the sound of a musical score created by the young patients.
By 2011, units will open throughout the hospital with concepts, colours, sounds and themes inspired from the lobby.
The initiative is one of several collaborations between Disney and children’s hospitals in the U.S.. It aims to deliver a new service model based on creativity, interaction and fun – creating a healing environment and enhancing the patient experience.
“When kids and families come to our hospital, they will experience something different, and with the help of Disney, we are able to create an environment that will hopefully help improve the healing process for all paediatric patients,” said Tim Burrill, assistant administrator of Florida Hospital for Children.
But this will cost a whopping US$10 million. Is this money really well spent? What effect will it have on recovery rates or anxiety levels? It will be interesting to see whether this fantasy world has the healing effect as the creators claim.
A fantasy façade isn’t enough – even children can see through that. If this concept is to present a meaningful value proposition, the visual effects and physical surroundings must be supported by considered and seamless communication.
And what hope is there of applying this concept in a public sector hospital, where cash is strapped? While this model is inspired, it is unquestionably best suited to a children’s hospital with considerable funding. It would be interesting to see how elements such as interactive visual displays could be implemented in an adult context with a public budget.