When most people think about hospitals, the image that comes to their minds is that of prison-like small rooms, long sterile hallways and cold fluorescent-lit waiting areas.

However, as competition has increased and as patient expectations have risen over the last few years, a large number of hospitals are investing in hotel and spa-like amenities such as private rooms, better waiting areas, reduced environmental stressors and calming music. It is part of an overall trend in creating a memorable “experience” for patients and their family members.

Hospitals did not come up with this on their own. Rather they have borrowed it from the hospitality and entertainment industries. In the late 1990’s and early 2000’s, “five-star” organizations such as the Ritz-Carlton Hotel, Four Seasons Hotel and Disney Company started investing in their surroundings, lobbies, and rooms, as well as how their staff greet customers, handle questions and resolve complaints.

The focus shifted from just providing great customer service to creating exceptional customer experiences. In their book The Experience Economy, Joseph Pine II and James Gilmore suggest that “commodities are fungible, goods tangible, services intangible and experience are memorable.” Companies such as Starbucks are praised for their great attention to small things that send big messages to their customers, things such as their choice of furniture, names of the drinks, the messages on the cups, the graphics, the smells etc...Therefore, the so-called “Starbucks experience” is created around this interaction with customers.

Much of the credit that turned hospitals’ attention to this new trend goes to the book If Disney ran your hospital, that recommends that hospitals should provide an experience that “engages patients on an emotional, physical, intellectual, and yes, spiritual level.” The focus is on creating healing and nurturing environments. For example, several hospitals across the country now have waterfalls, fireplaces, gardens, aquariums, larger windows and more natural light. Others offer new mothers a free massage right after delivery.

So if your hospital still looks like hospitals from the 1950’s with rude receptionists and indifferent nurses, pick up a pen and paper and send an angry letter to the hospital administrator asking “Where is my patient experience?”