9. Dr. Rachael Grimaldi - co-founder of CardMedic®

Wild Card - Whose Shoes?

Today I'm talking to Rachael Grimaldi, co-founder of the multi-award-winning CardMedic® and one of the most inspirational movers and shakers I've ever met. CardMedic is a brilliantly simple and unique digital communication tool. Rachael is a mum of three young children, a NHS clinical entrepreneur, and an anaesthetist. She is also a lovely warm, generous human being, always connecting and encouraging others. . And I've loved following her amazing journey since we first became aware of each other's work at the start of the pandemic.

Rachael tweets as @CardMedic

Lemon lightbulbs from Rachael’s session 🍋🍋🍋

• Make people feel like they are the only patient you are seeing that day – make them feel special!
• People remember how you make them feel. Build relationships and trust.
• Equality and inclusion matter! Embed them in all we do.
• Patients are often scared – recognise this and help them feel at ease
• There are so many barriers to good communication in healthcare - simple solutions (even if not perfect) really help
• It’s all about teamwork! However amazing any individual is, you can’t do it alone!
• Use social media to build momentum
• Network with people with share values. Idea: do a group podcast with the women we have brought together in this episode. In this series?
• Personalised care - wonderful example of a man with learning disabilities who loved trainspotting
• Treat people like you would treat one of your own family – the Mum test!
• Social impact rather than just business goals - use technology for good … globally!
• CardMedic helps address communication barriers for so many different people!
• It’s good to share best practice!
• Imposter syndrome is all too common amongst women!
• Great solutions do not have to be complicated – CardMedic is ‘brilliantly simple’
• Networking! Use #IntentionalCoffee ☕️☕️ (Or hot chocolate!)
• Stories – not just statistics. Knowing you are making a difference
• Whose Shoes in Uganda - with Dr Alice Ladur! PhD project
• Cultural issues - let’s reach out to understand
• Personalised information (e.g. discharge letters) can have a direct effect on improving health
• Stronger together! Let’s grow these communities

#JFDI Shout-outs @whosalama @FWmaternity @SunitaS2016 @ptsafetylearn @helenh49 @safetynurse999 @thehilloxford @NHS_CEP @inclusivefruit @Fi_Contextual @emmajaneshah @UHSussex @MassChallenge @SheLovesTechOrg

Rachael featured in our 2020 advent series about good stuff in the pandemic. And so did Dr Farzana Hussain, who was our inaugural guest on this podcast series. I’d love them to link up talking about addressing health inequalities!
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I tweet as @WhoseShoes and @WildCardWS and am on Instagram as @WildCardWS.
Please recommend 'Wild Card - Whose Shoes' to others who enjoy hearing passionate people talk about their experiences of improving health care.