The hospital scene in the book is meant to demonstrate how much the reunion of Darry and Ponyboy is important for both of them to understand each other. In the film, the scene is set up to show only that they both had a concern for each other.
We can arrive at this answer because:
In the book, while it's clear that the two brothers care about each other and are happy to see each other again, they use that moment to expose the problems in their relationship. Ponyboy feels that Darry hates him and Darry doesn't know how to express himself and show his worries and pressures without appearing abusive.
This is the moment in the book, where these issues are debated and intensified, allowing the reader to understand the positioning and meaning of each character.
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