It’s been one year since Wendy’s Welcome to the ED has been released. The video, which was written by Wendy and myself and animated by Payette Architecture Firm, is an introduction to the Emergency Department for pediatric patients. Wendy is the animated narrator for the nine minute film. Here are some of the reviews we have received in the last year from the Child Life Specialist who works in the Emergency Department and has collected comments:
11year old – “It let me know about things that were going to happen and that I would have to talk to a lot of people. My favorite part was learning about the special light in the room.”
Numerous children– Upon entering the exam room “Where is the rainbow light?”
10 year old Chronic patient- “It is cool that a kid, like me, made this!” I could see his little wheels start turning, wondering what he could create to help other kids too.
10 year old- “I know what you do (talking to child life) because I watched the video.”
15 year old- “The most helpful part was telling me about all the people I will meet and that I might have to wait a long time”.
4 year old- “ I know I need to change into these (pointing to hospital pajamas). I saw it on TV.”
Paige Fox, R.N., CPEN “It’s really great to be able to offer our patients a video that teaches them about the emergency department from the voice of a child. Wendy explaining her own unique experience seems to help kids understand what to expect and make their stay with us go more smoothly.”
Ari Cohen, MD, FAAP Chief, Pediatric Emergency Medicine- “It is a perfect example of what can be achieved when good people come together and listen to the ideas of a child.”
Dr. Cohen recently mentioned to me that “Everybody that has seen the video is impressed (meaning ED leadership)and it is being used as an example of what is needed to help the adult patients manage their expectation for their ED visit.”
The video never would have been possible without the support of the Family Advistory Council at MassGeneral Hospital for Children. Sandy Clancy, the co-chair of the FAC, helped to keep the project going by setting up committees and getting upper administration to view it and sign off on it. It was her work in the hospital and Payette’s work outside the hospital that kept the project moving forward, and we are forever thankful to them both.
Wendy’s Welcome has been viewed over two thousand times this year on the Massachusetts General Hospital Website. Wendy has been interviewed by local news stations and magazines about the video and other hospitals have contacted us for ideas on how they can create their own welcome videos for their pediatric patients.
It’s changing medicine and it’s changing how providers can manage expectations for their patients. It’s also opening doors for more patient and family participation on the systemic level of health care. Cooperation between patients and their families with their doctors leads to favorable outcomes across the spectrum.
It has also won three awards. The Patient’s View Institute honored Wendy last year with the Partners in Care Award and also honored Payette with the Patient Champion Award. In addition, the Institute for Patient and Family Centered Care honored Sandy and me with a Partnership Award for cooperation between patients/families and hospital staff.
What a year! We are so grateful that Wendy’s Welcome is making such a positive impact on healthcare!
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