…Because you might not realize that fashion can be bad for your health.
Seriously. (Disclaimer: I have no stats or scientific studies to prove this. Just read this post and decide for yourself. )
The thing is, we’re living in a time of incredible progress; when the world changes in nano seconds.
In hospitals, where I’ve spent a lot of time lately, progress is everywhere—and part of that includes the look—reflecting awareness that aesthetics is related to health by nourishing the spirit and the soul.
Enlightened thinking has transformed medical centers into beautiful settings. The building and grounds of our local hospital on the Monterey Peninsula looks as gorgeous as one of the area resorts. The art in many hospitals is better than what you’d find in museums.
Here are a few of my favorites from Cedars Sinai in in Los Angeles.
Nurses long ago abandoned the Florence Nightingale look—and now express their personal style in colorful and comfortable clothing.
But there’s one area where the entire system breaks down; one gaping hole in all the progress on the medical front—or rather, back—where it all hangs out.
Actually I’m kind of surprised there isn’t more of a flap about it.
When you stay in a hospital, you already feel like a victim; why is it necessary to also feel like a fashion victim? When we’re paying astronomical prices for every bandaid, why not a few pennies to improve a patient’s state of mind? Depressing and dysfunctional on so many levels, it robs patients of their dignity; possibly for serious fashionistas, might even affect the will to live.
I won’t defile my blog by posting a picture—but of course I”m referring to the sorry state of the hospital “gown”.
And who ever came up with the term gown to describe it? It’s stretching the point to call it an item of clothing.
This is attire even Heidi Klum could not carry off.
Which is why I think she’s the perfect person to revolutionize the health care industry.
What better project could there be for Project Runway? So I’m throwing out a challenge for the producers— make this a challenge for next season. With a few dollars at Mood, a little velcro and some creativity, surely the designers can come up with some innovations; at least they can’t do worse than what’s out there.
Plus this would lift the show from just reality to providing a desperately needed public service; I guarantee patients everywhere would be grateful. And haven’t we already been patient enough?
I love it. I just got back from a surgery center, and my husband was sporting a new colorful gown, but it has plenty of room for improvement 🙂 My son actually loved his hospital jammies so much he brought them home, soft light blue pants and a cute animal print top, but really men are way less picky about fashion. If Stanford Children’s can make appealing ones, certainly Tim and Heidi can 🙂
D,
I really think you’ve hit on a significant opportunity for all hospitals to improve patient experience for a very small investment. I’m not sure if you know any of the brass at Cedar’s, but you are friends with the person who runs our local hospital. I suggest you make sure he sees your post along with Nicole’s comment. It seems like Stanford may have already taken this project on, to at least some degree, and their stuff might form a benchmark for future improvements.
So now that you have a fix on solving this critical component of our National Healcare Plan, what’s the rest of your program ?
Love,
V/
So true! Nowadays, the “gown” you get to wear at your annual doctor’s checkup is basically a glorified paper towel!
My Kaiser facility in San Rafael actually has a gown that is wonderful. It is a bit of a puzzle to get into, but once you figure it out, it kind of crosses over and under, and you end up with nothing showing anywhere. It is pretty sufficient. But, of course, it has no special patterns or fun designs — it is just functional — but a vast improvement on the kind that lets things hang out!
That is such a great idea! It would certainly be nice when this can be achieved before I ever end up in hospital…
Sounds way better than anything I’ve seen—though I bet Project Runway could compete with Stanford only in this one area. Sorry you too have spent so much time in hospitals lately. Hope neither one of us will be visiting them any time soon.
Just what I need—another project to take on. Haha. This is pretty much all I have to offer on health care for the moment—but like pretty much everyone else in America, I could sure give them an earful about fixing the entire system.
Agree; there’s not much dignity or anything else in a paper towel. Thanks for the comment, Kim.
I’d trade the patterns or designs for functionality. And I think this could be the first time I’ve heard something so positive about Kaiser.
I hope there will be some major design improvements by the time you ever end up in a hospital—better yet, hopefully you never will!