What is the importance of hospitals in the novel, Three Wishes?

Hospitals are scenes of despair and joy in the novel. Despair when Nana Kettle was hospitalized after being attacked by a burglar, which caused Frank to burst into tears. Joy when Gemma gave birth to Sal. The hospital where Sal was born was a comic location when Maxine arrived after hearing about the restaurant brawl only to discover Cat and Lyn laughing in the emergency room.