Adding kindness at handover to improve our collegiality: the K‐ISBAR tool

In reply: We thank Goh for their interest in our article. Our reflection article on the introduction of K‐ISBAR (Kindness at handover, Introduction, Situation, Background, Assessment and Recommendation) focuses on how all doctors interact in a collegiate manner and should keep each other's wellbeing in mind.1 We agree that medical collegiality pertains to both professionalism and patient safety. The ultimate outcome of improved collegiality and behaviour may translate into enhanced patient safety and mental health of our profession.

We enjoyed Goh's background into the history of ISBAR and the acknowledgement of the need to add kindness. We also agree that “ISBAR can fail when the giver (person providing ISBAR) neglects to prepare or perform ISBAR effectively”. The same goes for the receiver.

Unfortunately, we cannot support the unreferenced claim that “collegial courtesy can compromise good patient care”. The Declaration of Geneva was first adopted by the general assembly of the World Medical Association in 1948 as a revision of the Hippocratic Oath, and is the universally accepted declaration for all doctors of their humanitarian goals in practising medicine.2 It clearly states that “I will give to my teachers, colleagues, and students the respect and gratitude that is their due”.2 Respect and gratitude for our colleagues are equally as important as what information we hand over. Nobody performs to their best in an environment where they feel disrespected and harassed; it is also difficult to listen and retain information while being poorly treated. Good behaviour with kindness can only improve collegiality and augment, rather than compromise, good patient care.