In early April , Dr . Lucas McElwain , a palliative care physician in North Mississippi Hospital , Tupelo MS , saw this tool on UAB ’ s site and spoke to Abigail Farris , the Palliative Care Nurse Coordinator , about it . She immediately went to work , forming a three-person team with Rita Taylor , Patient Outreach Manager , and David Garrett , Director of Patient Experience , and together they launched the Meet My Loved One program at North Mississippi Medical Center . They adapted the form for their hospital and printed it on card stock . They divided up the patients , made calls to the families , and completed the patients ’ personal information , and stuck it on the glass of the patient ’ s room door , so that each and every staff member who went in read about the patient and “ knew ”
* An example card only . This is not a real patient . the patient even before they opened the door . “ A short while after I stuck it on the first patient ’ s door . I heard a whole commotion outside the patient ’ s door ,” said Abigail , “ So I went to see what was happening . Nurses were crying , the tops of their masks were literally soaked with tears , as they stood in front of the door reading the card . They said to me , “’ For weeks we have taken care of ventilated patients after ventilated patients and now we ’ re taking care of a grandmother who loves taking her grandchildren to Chuck E . Cheese . We treat all patients with respect and dignity , but this helps us to see the patient as a whole person .’” Abigail also heard from many patients ’ families how their loved one loved gospel music , “ and now , the staff put on gospel music on their phones when they go into those patients ’ rooms .” One of the patients that was allocated to David was a young man who had been married for less than a year , ill with COVID , intubated and nonresponsive . David called his wife to find out more about him so that he could complete the card . “ She told me to use the special nickname he had for her and see how he responded . I wrote that on the card . When the staff said that loving word to the patient , he moved . It was his first movement in days .”
From late April until mid-July the team has already spoken with 271 families and created 271 cards . They have also printed and distributed over 400 photographs of loved ones ’ families sent them to help decrease the sense of isolation patients feel . This team talk every day , sometimes multiple times , to share the day ’ s events and divide up the next days ’ load . “ Reaching out to the families to get the information for the cards ( calls that lasted from 5-60 minutes ), it reminded us to see what it ’ s like to be in the family members ’ shoes ; it ’ s shown us what it ’ s like to be on the other side ,” said David , “ It is a human connection .”
Pictured left to right : Rita Taylor , Abigail Farris , David Garrett