A survey by the non-profit organization Keep Smiling found that 75% [1] of parents who experienced accompanying their children during hospitalization were requested to do so by the hospital.
The findings highlight a systemic reliance on family members to fill gaps in pediatric medical care. Because hospitals lack sufficient staff, the burden of basic patient care often shifts to parents, who may face significant financial and professional instability while staying bedside.
According to the data, 78% [1] of parents reported feeling a financial burden due to these requirements. This strain is compounded by the fact that only 17.5% [1] of hospitals have applied for government subsidies intended to support these arrangements.
Keep Smiling released the results of the study on April 2, 2024 [1]. The organization aims to bring attention to the precarious nature of pediatric care in Japan, where the lack of professional caregivers can leave children vulnerable if parents are unable to stay.
"There is a shortage of personnel in pediatric wards," Yuki Mitsuhara, chairperson of Keep Smiling, said. "There is a current situation where if we do not rely on parents, children would be left alone, and the ward cannot function."
The report suggests that the current model of "accompanying hospitalization" is not a choice for many families but a necessity driven by institutional failure. While some hospitals provide facilities for parents, the lack of comprehensive funding and staffing means that the physical and emotional labor of care remains largely unpaid, and uncompensated.
“75% of parents who experienced accompanying their children during hospitalization were requested to do so by the hospital.”
This data reveals a critical gap in Japan's healthcare infrastructure, where pediatric patient safety is partially dependent on the availability of family caregivers. The low rate of hospitals utilizing government subsidies suggests a disconnect between available state support and the operational reality of wards, leaving families to absorb the economic cost of systemic staffing shortages.
