For healthcare professionals, the human experience lies at the heart of service delivery. A positive patient experience not only improves clinical and operational outcomes, but also strengthens a hospital’s reputation and its relations with the community it serves. Across our network, IHF members are prioritizing patient engagement and service accessibility by producing resources to meet the needs of patients and their families.

Evercare Hospitals

In Evercare Hospitals in Lahore, Pakistan, and Lekki, Nigeria, storytelling is being used as a powerful, low-cost tool to improve paediatric care. Through the PediTales initiative, hospital staff co-create bilingual children’s books that help young patients navigate clinical environments more calmly and confidently. The stories reflect local contexts and are designed to make hospital visits less daunting for children and their families.

In Lahore, a five-year-old boy named Ayaan clung to his mother in distress as he awaited his vaccination. A staff member gently read aloud from Biloongra and the Lion-Strength Potion, a story about a bold kitten who learns to face his fears. As the narrative unfolded, Ayaan followed Biloongra’s deep breath and steady posture, eventually offering his arm for the injection without resistance.

In another session, the story Noori’s | Ada’s Asthma Adventure – with Noori as the protagonist in Lahore and Ada in Lekki, reflecting local naming and cultural relevance – was used with a child anxious about wheezing and nebulization.

As the story described Noori (in Lahore) / Ada (in Lekki, Lagos) breathing slowly through the storm of her asthma attack, the young listener began mirroring the breathing pattern, calming herself in the process.

Staff-led storytelling using Noori’s | Ada’s Asthma Adventure at Evercare Hospital Lahore (Feb 2025) and Lekki (Mar 2025). PediTales empowers paediatric patients through culturally resonant, community-led narratives.

“Creating our own patient resources has allowed us to meet children where they are, emotionally and developmentally. A well-told story can do what clinical explanations often can’t: it builds trust, reduces fear, and empowers the youngest among us to participate in their own care.”

Dr Asad I. Mian, Emergency Physician and Healthcare Transformation Lead, Evercare Group

Gillette Children’s

Meanwhile, in St Paul’s, Minnesota in the United States, IHF member Gillette Children’s Specialty Hospital was of the first children’s hospitals in the world to create its own publishing arm, Gillette Children’s Healthcare Press. The resources it creates aim to empower families through knowledge, and are designed to deepen understanding of complex, often lifelong conditions that begin in childhood. By translating clinical insights into accessible language, the series helps parents, caregivers, and patients feel better equipped to manage care and advocate for themselves. Co-published with Mac Keith Press, the series also serves as a valuable resource for healthcare professionals, educators, and students.

“Gillette cares for children with the most complex conditions and rare diseases,” says Paula Montgomery, executive vice president of administrative affairs. “We know it can be overwhelming for parents to find the best information, and they go to great lengths to educate themselves. Our books provide clear medical expertise and are written by experts and parents, with the information they need to provide and receive the best care.”

Their new Healthcare Series, which launched in late 2024, features nine books that provide in-depth understanding of childhood-acquired physical and/or neurological conditions treated at the hospital and its clinics.

“We know – based on prior publications – that other healthcare providers and professionals around the world who work with individuals with complex medical conditions will use these books to further their own knowledge and better serve these patient populations,” Montgomery says.

These examples underscore a shared commitment: to meet patients where they are, and to equip them with the tools they need to feel seen, supported, and informed.