Answers For [Forecast Q1-2025] - The impact of arts in hospitals

Susan: Hey George, how are you?

George: Hi, Susan. I’m good. How about you?

Susan: Not bad. We need to exchange the information we have collected for our research about the impact of arts in hospitals.

George: Right. When we were given the task, I knew it would be an interesting topic. And what I found is quite surprising.

Susan: Yeah, I didn’t know hospitals back in the 1940s had used art and music, which I think is amazing.

George: They didn’t do it just for the medical staff, did they?

Susan: No, actually medical staffs were responsible for choosing the art and music works.

1But they mainly did it for patients with psychological problems, both children and adults.

George: So, this is not a new area. I went to a hospital named West Mountain Hospital last weekend because I’ve heard that they have quite a few art works there.

Susan: Oh, what have you found out?

2George: The management team told me that they put art in the hospital because the patients like to concern too much on small issues , and music and art can let them forget about these issues.

Susan: Yeah, good art can really calm us down. Maybe it’s also helpful for the doctors and nurses to release their stress.

George: That might be true. But when the artworks were first displayed in the hospitals, not everyone was happy about it.

Susan: Really? Who didn’t like art and music? Was it the children?

3George: Actually, it was the staff. They thought they needed a clean and simple environment without any distractions for their work.

Susan: Did they remove those things in the end?

George: No, they got used to it in a few days. Now everyone is enjoying a more relaxing environment in the hospital.

Susan: That’s nice. I wonder if the patients can benefit from the art and music. I mean whether those things would be helpful in their recovery.

4George: When I interviewed a nurse named Zoe, she told me even though she was usually too busy to notice those artworks, she was sure that music and art had a positive influence on the patients.

Susan: I think her attitude and opinion can mean a lot since she probably spends a lot of time in the hospital.

George: Yes, I agree. Nurses accompany the patients most of the time, so they could tell the differences.

Susan: Right. It’s interesting we now have so much information for our research, many of them don’t seem very related to our purpose, though.

George: I think they’re related. Our aim is to see if music and art can solve management issues, and all our results show that they surely can benefit both the patients and the staff.

George: Susan, you went to the State hospital, right?

Susan: Yes, I did. Actually, I did a survey with different departments and clinics to see how art influences different patients.

George: Oh, that’s very creative and efficient. Do you have the results of the survey?

5Susan: I do. In Postnatal clinic, you know, where mothers rest after giving birth to their babies, displaying artworks can make the fragile mothers more willing to cooperate with the doctors.

George: That’s very helpful, for both the doctors and patients.

6Susan: That’s right. However, in Trauma and Dissociation clinic, patients don’t show enough evidence of any change.

So, doctors may need to further observe them.

George: I think it may take time for some patients to change their attitude towards art. And some impacts may not be very noticeable.

7Susan: I think so. In Day Surgery clinic, after receiving the surgeries, the patients’ blood pressure and heart rate returned to average level more quickly when light music was playing in the background.

George: That’s why some people say music can heal.

8Susan: It’s really magical. In Children’s clinic, if there’s a lot of artworks, the young patients will often be released from the clinic sooner.

George: You mean they can recover more quickly?

Susan: That’s what the doctors said in the survey.

9George: That’s nice. How about emergency? Did you visit that department? Susan: Yes, nurses there told me, after adding art and music, the patients have become less dependent on medication.

George: Maybe because the artworks can reduce pain.

10Susan: Yeah, patients in gynecology, especially some pregnant women, prefer painting more than music. They even draw some pictures themselves.

George: Oh, visual arts probably work better on these patients.

Susan: Right. We need to put down what we have discussed and write a complete report tonight.