“This resource will help staff to understand the memories, habits, routines, and symbols that matter to each person - we want patients in Roscommon University Hospital ((RUH) to have an inclusive, person-centred care experience,” according to Christine Rohan, Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) Coordinator, commenting as the hospital recently introduced a new Universal Patient Communications Passport entitled “Getting to Know What Matters to Me.”
Christine added that the new passport would “help break down communication barriers and empower patients and families to be active participants in their healthcare journey.”
The Passport is designed to reduce communication barriers and enhance the overall healthcare experience. It can be used by any patient accessing healthcare services who wishes to share personal preferences and important information with staff.
It allows patients and families to record details such as personal history, likes and dislikes, significant people or places, normal routines, and any specific supports they may require in a healthcare setting. Patients can complete the passport at home and bring it with them to hospital or to any healthcare facility.
It is especially valuable when a patient is transitioning between care settings and meeting new staff members, as it travels with the patient and can be used during any episode of care. National and international research shows that admission to an acute hospital can be distressing and disorientating, and is often linked with increased anxiety. By supporting personalised communication, the passport helps reduce that stress and creates a more positive care experience.
The Hospital Patient Experience and Patient Council identified a need to improve communication with patients and families about social needs, and to support a more holistic, person-centred approach to care for all patients attending RUH.
According to Paula Noone, Assistant Director of Nursing, Dementia Quality Improvement, HSE West and North West, the passport “immediately indicates whether a patient has any communication difficulties or may require additional support. It allows healthcare staff to quickly identify critical information that may otherwise be hard to obtain, and helps them understand how to effectively engage with the patient. We want to make sure that all our patients are as comfortable as possible in a healthcare setting, and the passport is another tool to assist with that.”
Marie Doorly, Interim Hospital Manager stressed how the passport “promotes person-centred, compassionate, and integrated care, while supporting the delivery of safer healthcare. Having greater supports in place, such as the passport, will greatly enhance the care we provide to patients who face communication challenges. Ensuring we have processes that meet the needs of our patients is a key priority for the hospital.”
The Passport was co-designed and peer-reviewed by patients, staff, and key community organisations including the Dementia Advisor for the Alzheimer’s Society of Ireland, the Easy Read Roscommon Group, the Age Friendly Hospital Steering Group, and members of the Patient Council. This strong interagency collaboration ensured the passport is inclusive, user-friendly, and accessible for all.
This initiative ties in with the priorities of the HSE Corporate Plan under Right Care/Health Equity where the HSE is obliged to “implement the emerging National Inclusion Health Framework and community initiatives aimed at addressing health inequalities.” The HSE is further obliged to “reinforce our partnership principles put in place arrangements to improve consultation with voluntary organisation partners in our annual planning cycle based on our Partnership Principles10,” and this initiative moves towards achieving this.