A Message For You: a novel communication tool developed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic

[摘要] During the COVID-19 pandemic, hospitalsacross the UK had to restrict inpatient visitors in order to help prevent the spread ofthe virus.1 On 24 March 2020, Chelsea andWestminster National Health Service (NHS)Trust stopped allowing visitors to its wardsapart from in exceptional circumstances. Forpatients and families alike, this cut-off a vitalsource of communication and comfort duringa time of already heightened anxiety. Restriction of visitors may contribute to feelings ofloneliness and isolation,2 which in turn havebeen shown to predict increased morbidityand mortality.3 These issues of in-hospitalisolation, secondary to reduced social contactwith loved ones as a result of the COVID-19pandemic, represent our problem statement,which we attempted to address with theproject outlined below.

[学科分类] 药学

[关键词] teamwork;quality improvement;quality improvement methodologies;PDSA;patient participation