Hospital Giving New Spin To Healing Experience

MIRAMAR (CBS4) - A Broward County hospital is looking to bolster the healing power of medicine by making a trip to the hospital seem more like a spa visit.

"They've actually studied the impact of rhythm of tone, musical piece selection on the healing process," said Memorial Hospital in Miramar chief nursing officer Maggie Hansen.

Music is just one of the ways Memorial Hospital is incorporating alternative healing methods with traditional hospital therapies.

"We've also incorporated massage in our mother/baby area our new moms are very anxious and we have a doula service offering them massage," Hansen said.

Soon-to-be mom Jennifer Perez of Hollywood decided to take full advantage of her massage just days before she delivered a healthy, baby girl.

"I feel like I got run over by a truck but this helps a lot especially to prepare you to go home," Perez said.

For patients with fear or anxiety about surgery, there's aromatherapy to help calm their fears and help with other ailments.

Patients are greeted with music and water effects as well as soothing landscapes played on televisions around the hospital. There's even an executive chef who visits patients in their rooms.

"He talks to patients about food selections that we offer because we want to be culturally sensitive we serve a lot of different cultures in the community," Hansen said.

And it's not just simple sound and touch therapy that's helping patients out. Now, there's a furry friend who patients can turn to for help.

"This year, Compass, a two-year-old golden retriever joined us after being trained for two years to work with patients in a healthcare setting," Hansen said.

For patients like Janice Hetfield of Miami Lakes, Compass made the months of painful therapy from a shattered knee much more bearable.

"Over the months without compass there I would not be at the current range of motion," Hetfield said.

Currently, two Memorial facilities offer the healing experience and ultimately the plan is to make it a system-wide program.