Introducing #hellomynameis

Staff at Mildura Base Hospital are improving communication between carers and patients by a simple technique: they introduce themselves.

The hospital has adopted the #hellomynameis campaign founded by Dr Kate Grainger in the United Kingdom, which encourages carers to introduce themselves and their role to each patient.

Dr Grainger started the project from her perspective as a terminally ill cancer patient. Writing on her website before she passed away, Dr Grainger noted that the campaign was about more than reinforcing common courtesy.

“Introductions are about making a human connection between one human being who is suffering and vulnerable and another human being who wishes to help,” she wrote.

Jenni Lloyd, the project lead for the #hellomynameis campaign at Mildura Base Hospital, said the program was introduced after the hospital reviewed feedback from one of its emergency patients, Sheryl.

“She explained to me that she had come into the hospital with her 18-month-old grandson, with her daughter and son-in-law, and the experience she had when she went through the emergency department was quite negative,” explained Jenni.

“There was no introduction from the hospital staff to Sheryl herself, or her daughter. Sheryl said that because of this, they didn’t know who to ask about her grandson’s care, so they didn’t.”

The video above  highlights the insights the hospital has gained since introducing the #hellomynameis campaign.