Cinemas in Action editorial graphic explaining MediCinema at Birmingham Children’s Hospital in United Kingdom.
Separate attendance, unique participant and access-support measures when evaluating an adapted cinema service.Graphic: Cinemas in Action
Explore/Case studyReachWhat this means

Measure hospital cinema use as attendances, not unique patients

MediCinema reported 2,638 attendances across 122 screenings in Birmingham during its first six months. These are attendances including patients, families, carers and staff, not unique patients.

Published 9/21/2026

Operator Briefing

The idea

Separate attendance, unique participant and access-support measures when evaluating an adapted cinema service.

Evidence

The charity reports activity from 3 March to 3 September 2026, including bed access, personal screenings and tailored sessions.

Operator takeaway

The transferable value is the operating mechanism, not an assumed outcome. Adapt it only with a clear baseline and decision rule.

Try this

Separate attendance, unique participant and access-support measures when evaluating an adapted cinema service.

Measure

Attendances, unique participants where consent permits, repeat use, bed access, tailored sessions, cancellations, satisfaction and operational incidents.

Watch out for

Repeat attendance and participant mix prevent a unique-patient interpretation. No controlled clinical-benefit evidence is reported.

Operator, market and timing

MediCinema — United Kingdom. Evidence reviewed on 21 September 2026; dates and availability are stated where the source supports them.

What the initiative does

The charity reports activity from 3 March to 3 September 2026, including bed access, personal screenings and tailored sessions.

Why it may be useful

Separate attendance, unique participant and access-support measures when evaluating an adapted cinema service.

What remains unknown

Repeat attendance and participant mix prevent a unique-patient interpretation. No controlled clinical-benefit evidence is reported.

A practical adaptation or test

Separate attendance, unique participant and access-support measures when evaluating an adapted cinema service.

Resources, restrictions and commercial risks

Confirm current local terms, rights, staffing, capacity, partner responsibilities, customer communications and full contribution before launch. Report exclusions beside the offer rather than in a later footnote.

Measures to use

Attendances, unique participants where consent permits, repeat use, bed access, tailored sessions, cancellations, satisfaction and operational incidents.

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