Rather than offering faith-based care, they would meet with patients and organise "inspiring projects" such as art and origami projects to help boost morale, Dr Elizabeth Burns said.
Writing in the British Medical Journal, she said: "Chaplains do a great job, but not everyone is religious. My dream would be to see a position created, like a secular chaplain, to run inspiring projects."
Dr Burns, who has helped introduce activities at Macmillan cancer support, raised concern boredom and unstimulating surroundings could impact patients to the extent recovery speeds - and even mortality rates - are affected.
The expert, who also supports having guaranteed WiFi on wards, went on to say: "Our brains want to interact with the world. If you sit someone in a blank, clean environment with nothing else to focus on, it's amazing it's not actually destructive.
"Time goes slowly, they have feelings of hopelessness, and it wouldn't surprise me if it affects mortality rates. As an adult, you are so aware of the implications of being unwell, and you just lie there filled with worries."
Dr Burns comments come after a NHS Wales report found many wards were "barren and depressing", with televisions and radios not working, and phones and tablets banned on safety grounds.