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Patients at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital are tuning in to a unique television channel specially designed to promote healing. Putting aside pundits, police dramas and other anxiety-laden programming, they can now relax and reflect to uninterrupted video imagery of beautiful and inspiring natural vistas—a meadow of wildflowers, ducks swimming in a mountain lake, etc.—set to soothing instrumental music.

The broadcast, called the C.A.R.E. (Continuous Ambient Relaxation Environment) Channel™, does not aim to educate or entertain, but instead provides a meditative atmosphere, with imagery paced for the time of day. For example, the channel airs a "midnight starfield" for its overnight broadcast.

"This special television channel is part of our ongoing initiative to redefine the hospital experience for patients and their families. By creating a comfortable, convenient and calming environment, NewYork-Presbyterian aims to better foster rest and healing," says Ken Haber, vice president of support services at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital.

According to Healing Healthcare Systems of Reno, Nev., makers of the C.A.R.E. Channel, hospitals that offer the programming have reported reductions in the use of pain medication and an improved quality of rest for patients. First developed in 1992, the C.A.R.E. Channel is available in hospitals in 45 states.

For more information, patients may call 866-NYP-NEWS.

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital

NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital—based in New York City—is the nation's largest not-for-profit, non-sectarian hospital, with 2,224 beds. It provides state-of-the-art inpatient, ambulatory and preventive care in all areas of medicine at five major centers: NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Weill Cornell Medical Center, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Columbia University Medical Center, Morgan Stanley Children's Hospital of NewYork-Presbyterian, NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Allen Pavilion and NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital/Westchester Division. One of the largest and most comprehensive health-care institutions in the world, the Hospital is committed to excellence in patient care, research, education and community service. It ranks sixth on U.S.News & World Report's guide to "America's Best Hospitals," has the greatest number of physicians listed in New York magazine's "Best Doctors" issue, and is included among Solucient's top 15 major teaching hospitals. The Hospital has academic affiliations with two of the nation's leading medical colleges: Joan and Sanford I. Weill Medical College of Cornell University and Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons.