Good News about Hospitals

With the many serious challenges facing hospitals and health systems these days, it can be easy to lose sight of the headlines about the many great things AHA members are doing. To recognize how American hospitals are empowering people to live healthier, happier lives, the AHA has been focusing on Telling the Hospital Story.

This webpage is replete with great examples of how health care organizations are meeting community nutritional needs, improving nurse retention, meeting the unique care needs of children and much more.

What follows are some recent examples in the series that caught our eye.

Robots, Dogs and Legos Help Kids Cope During Hospital Stays

Supporting children and their families through medical challenges is a top priority at UMass Memorial Medical Center–Children’s Medical Center in Worcester, Massachusetts.

Child life specialists at the Children’s Medical Center, who have training in child development, psychology and education, use age-appropriate innovations and evidence-based methods to reduce stress, provide support and help pediatric patients feel confident and comfortable.

That includes Robin — an innovative, interactive, human-assisted robot — that makes hospital visits less stressful for pediatric patients. Kids can talk with Robin (who’s multilingual), play games with the robot, receive comfort during a tough day of treatment and celebrate a special occasion.

The center’s animal-assisted therapy program includes a resident therapy dog with specialized training to demonstrate medical procedures or provide therapeutic interventions like walking with young patients. The music therapy program addresses patients’ physical, emotional, cognitive and social needs to help promote healing. Care teams also help patients celebrate birthdays, holidays and other special events.

Child life specialists recently began using Lego sets designed to resemble MRI machines to help patients prepare for their own MRI scans, reducing anxiety and even minimizing the need for anesthesia.

All these programs and activities are designed to support not only the child but also the entire family through medical challenges, and they are funded through donations from local and national foundations, private companies and individuals. Learn more »

How NYC Health + Hospitals Boosted Its Nurse Retention

NYC Health + Hospitals has achieved a dramatic improvement in nurse retention, reducing its staff nurse turnover rate from 46% in 2019 to just 7.3% in 2025 — less than half the national average of 16.4%.

This success has saved the public health system more than $88 million in turnover-related costs this year alone. In 2024, the system hired more than 3,400 permanent nurses, replacing temporary staff and saving an additional $150 million in recruitment expenses. These efforts not only cut costs but also strengthened the continuity and quality of patient care by building a more stable, community-rooted workforce.

The organization attributes its progress to a comprehensive strategy focused on professional development and staff engagement. Key initiatives include the Nurse Residency Program, Clinical Ladder, Shared Governance, and specialized fellowships that support nurses from onboarding through career advancement. NYC Health + Hospitals/Metropolitan also became the first health care organization globally to receive the American Nurse Credentialing Center’s new Pathway to Excellence with Distinction designation. Learn more »

Tampa General Launches New Meal Program with Chef Geoffrey Zakarian

The quality of hospital food has long been the subject of jokes, even as hospitals have recognized the importance of food as medicine and have worked to provide tasty and healthful meals to their patients.

Tampa General Hospital is embracing the importance of food by partnering with celebrity Chef Geoffrey Zakarian, who has developed seasonal menus featuring local produce whenever possible. Moreover, Tampa General is taking it a step further by changing how the food is delivered to its patients.

Typically, meal deliveries are on a set schedule, meaning food may arrive when patients aren’t hungry or are undergoing tests or exams away from their rooms — so they not only don’t get the nutrition they need, but the food is wasted. The new Patient Room Service program enables patients to choose what they would like and when they would like it. Meals are then made to order and delivered in 45 minutes.

“Through our partnership with Chef Zakarian, we are demonstrating the role that nutrition plays in the healing process and transforming our menu and delivery model to better meet the needs of our patients,” said John Couris, president and CEO of Tampa General Hospital. “Nutrients from high-quality, wholesome food can support and expedite recovery. By treating food as medicine, we’re setting our patients up for the best possible patient outcomes and long-term success after they leave the hospital.” Learn more »

Share Your Hospital Story! The AHA is continuing its efforts to spotlight the myriad ways that hospitals and health systems benefit the patients and communities they serve. Whether it be hosting a free clinic or wellness classes, investing in innovation to advance medicine and treatment or assisting with public health efforts, please share your examples with us.