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"Families asking questions and providing feedback."

About: Box Hill Hospital

(as a relative),

The hospital my father was in has introduced communication whiteboards so families can keep up to date on the patient's progress and record their questions. A great idea, but on the day I had a few questions that I hadn't been able to have answered during that visit, I went to write my questions on the whiteboard - and there was no pen. This was quite frustrating on top of not being able to find out the information I needed about my elderly father's progress from any of the staff on that shift.

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Responses

Response from Jo Gatehouse, Director, Quality, Planning and Innovation (Acute Health and Consumer Participation and Patient Experience), Eastern Health

picture of Jo Gatehouse

Dear KEM,

Thank you for sharing your experience on Patient Opinion - your feedback is extremely valuable.

The communication whiteboards are a strategy designed (as you outlined) to assist communication between the treating team and the family and loved ones of patients. Clearly the system only works if there is a pen available! The whiteboards are also not intended to replace communication with staff on the shift so I am sorry to hear that you were unable to get the information that you required in relation to your father's progress from the staff directly.

If you would like to contact me: jo.gatehouse@easternhealth.org.au I would be more than happy to follow up with the specific ward to ensure that you have the information you need (and also follow up about the lack of availability of pens for use with the whiteboards!)

Once again, thank you for sharing your experience on Patient Opinion and please do not hesitate to contact me so that I can follow up your concerns.

Kind Regards,

Jo Gatehouse

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