One organization that has been at the forefront of using play in medical settings is Project Sunshine , a 22-year-old nonprofit that has deeply understood the benefits of play since day one . The organization delivers healing play to children and families facing medical challenges by mobilizing volunteers to share connection , creative expression and joy . The organization is present in more than 475 medical facilities across the U . S . and has an international reach in Kenya , China , Israel and Canada . The University of Louisville and University of Kentucky both have chapters , composed primarily of pre-med and pre-professional students .
Until the pandemic , the Project Sunshine programs included in-person volunteers at local children ’ s hospitals providing group and individual play to the hospitalized children , guided by non-threatening young adults . Because the Project Sunshine volunteers did not come with needles or perform procedures , the children could relax around these volunteers . Enter COVID-19 and the world changed . Project Sunshine volunteers could not come into the hospital anymore .
This is the innovation borne of necessity to meet the needs of children . TelePlay is a virtual play experience with developmentally appropriate , fun activities and games delivered by volunteers , using a HIPAA compliant technology . When the pandemic hit , medical facilities were stretched to the limit , visitor restrictions took place , and playrooms were shuttered . Pediatric patients were more isolated than ever . 5
In those early critical months , Project Sunshine quickly mobilized to develop an innovative virtual intervention to connect volunteers to patients online in a safe way . The result was TelePlay which allowed the organization to reach the children who needed play the most .
Since the launch of TelePlay in July 2020 , Project Sunshine has served close to 8,000 children and grown its medical partnerships by 35 %. Its staffers have also created 3,000 new opportunities for volunteers to virtually connect with patients in a meaningful way . In addition , Project Sunshine commissioned a literature review which found that TelePlay was the only telehealth program of its kind in the country being delivered to patients .
Beyond the benefits to patients , TelePlay offers advantages to others in the care community .
• Caregivers and siblings feel they can depend on a platform designed with their loved one in mind .
• Medical staff value the convenient way of remaining in touch with patients after they ’ ve left the hospital .
• Nonprofit organizations ( patient advocacy groups ) recognize the program as an essential part of the continuum that supports the health care journey .
• Volunteers appreciate TelePlay ’ s versatility and the personal play connections it allows to flourish .
The traditional Project Sunshine volunteers worked exclusively with children ’ s hospitals . That is where there were floors of sick young patients . But with a virtual playground , now both hospitalized and non-hospitalized patients can enjoy time together . The “ playground ” is led and monitored by a trained Project Sunshine volunteer — keeping the “ playground ” safe and focused . The TelePlay platform expands the child ’ s horizons , who is all at once online with similar children from around the country . Ages and medical conditions are kept close , allowing for greater sharing and understanding . While sharing interests and play , the children can learn together about living with a chronic condition , just through these virtual interactions . This expansion of non-clinical telehealth services appears to have positive health benefits for the children .
Summary
Telemedicine and telehealth have made great advances during the pandemic , and most experts anticipate that it will continue to be a growing component of pediatric care . Yet young patients and their families often miss out on the healing effects of personal connections , even as the pandemic and other circumstances have made in-person interactions less viable .
The intersection between play and those who need it the most cannot be overlooked . According to the American Academy of Pediatrics , 15 million children and adolescents across the U . S . have some form of disability or chronic illness . Today we have the privilege of leveraging technology to benefit the well-being of these youngest patients . In the next five years , Project Sunshine is looking to serve 1.6 million children both in hospitals and at home . This virtual extension of its mission will allow the organization to meet the needs of more children with complex needs and chronic illnesses , regardless of locale .
While TelePlay and telehealth do not replace in-person interactions , both technologies present new and exciting opportunities for patients to make real connections and form real communities that aid and support their healing journeys .
References :
1
HealthIT . gov , Frequently Asked Questions , https :// www . healthit . gov / faq / what-telehealth-how-telehealth-different-telemedicine #:~: text = While % 20 telemedicine % 20refers % 20specifically % 20to , in % 20addition % 20to % 20clinical % 20services . ( accessed Sept 5 , 2022 )
2
Fortier , M . A ., Del Rosario , A . M ., Martin , S . R . and Kain , Z . N . ( 2010 ) Perioperative Anxiety in Children . Paediatric Anaesthesia , 20 , 318-322 .
3
Jesminne Bruins Slot , Michelle Hendriks & Ronald Batenburg ( 2018 ) Feeling happy and carefree : a qualitative study on the experiences of parents , medical clowns and healthcare professionals with medical clowns , International Journal of Qualitative Studies on Health and Well-being
4
Jasem ZA , Darlington AS , Lambrick D , Grisbrooke J , Randall DC . Play in Children With Life-Threatening and Life-Limiting Conditions : A Scoping Review . Am J Occup Ther . 2020 Jan / Feb ; 74 ( 1 ): 7401205040p1-7401205040p14 .
5
Reid LD , Fang Z . Changes in Pediatric Hospitalizations and In-Hospital Deaths in the Initial Period of the COVID-19 Pandemic ( April – December 2020 ), 29 States . 2022 Apr 5 . In : Healthcare Cost and Utilization Project ( HCUP ) Statistical Briefs [ Internet ]. Rockville ( MD ): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality ( US ); 2006 Feb- . Statistical Brief # 291 . Available from : https :// www . ncbi . nlm .
nih . gov / books / NBK580168 /
Hannah Baek is the Director of Marketing and Communications for Project Sunshine in New York City . ( non-member )
Meg Kellett is the Director of Pediatric Experience for Project Sunshine . She is based in New York City . ( non-member )
Dr . James is the Chief Medical Officer for Passport Health Plan by Molina Healthcare . He is an internist / pediatrician and has worked with Project Sunshine chapters in Louisville and Philadelphia .
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