Hospitals become increasingly hotel-like in US
Hospitals in the US are adopting hotel-like amenities, as they can help cut readmission rates and improve patient recovery. Features such as 24-hour room service for post-operative patients who don't want to eat at scheduled times, an online appointment system similar to those used to book flights to reduce cancellations, and rooms where clinical equipment is "tucked away" can all help improve patient outcomes and reduce stress. Hospitals offering hotel-style experiences have seen length of stay reduced, opening up more beds, while word-of-mouth recommendations rise.

At the Henry Ford West Bloomfield Hospital outside Detroit, patients arrive to uniformed valets and professional greeters. Wi-Fi is free and patient meals are served on demand 24 hours a day. Members of the spa staff give in-room massages and other treatments.

While clinical care is the focus of any medical center, hospitals have many incentives to move toward hotel-inspired features, services and staff training. Medical researchers say such amenities can improve health outcomes by reducing stress and anxiety among patients, while private rooms can cut down on the transfer of disease.

But a big driver of the trend may be hospitals’ interest in marketing — attracting patients with private insurance who have a choice in where they receive care, and encouraging word-of-mouth recommendations.

“It’s a way for hospitals to compete with each other,” said Zig Wu, a senior program manager at Stanford Health Care and one of the authors of an article on hospitality in the medical field for the Journal of Healthcare Management.