What is We Ask Because We Care?

"We Ask Because We Care" is an initiative designed to enhance our understanding of our patients' needs. By asking more detailed questions about race, ethnicity, and preferred language, we aim to provide personalized care tailored to each individual. Your responses are confidential and protected by law, stored securely in your medical record. Participation in answering these questions is voluntary. We ask because we care about you and all our patients' well-being. Your answers contribute valuable data that enables us to better serve our diverse patient population. This, in turn, enables us to continually improve the quality of care we provide to each patient.

Patient Registration

We prioritize your privacy and solely use your information to enhance our service to you. If you need to verify or update your information, please don't hesitate to reach out to us through any of the following methods:

At Connecticut Children’s, we are 100% kids meaning we are dedicated to providing the highest level of care tailored specifically for children. Ensuring our patients feel completely comfortable and respected is our top priority. We honor and support each child's chosen identity, addressing them accordingly to create a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Frequently Asked Questions

We will ask your child’s legal and preferred name, as well as their legal sex, sex assigned at birth, gender identity, and preferred pronouns.

This information is used by your child’s care team to make sure we treat them as they wish to be treated, including calling them by their preferred name and pronoun for both verbal conversation and documentation. We also keep a record of their sex assigned at birth should their legal sex be different now or at any point in the future, so special consideration can be made in regards to health exam questions or possible risks that are associated with a specific sex. Last, we want to ensure things like physical space, clothing, or other parts of their care are offered at their preferred gender identity.

This information is accessible in their medical record. At times, based on other parts of their care, the information may be shared but only when it is part of the necessary information to include for the purpose of their health care. An example could include making a referral to another provider/specialty who would like the most recent note or History & Physical. These notes may contain information about gender identity, preferred names, etc. 

You and/or your child can update this information during any registration. Some of the information is also able to be updated in MyChart. The only time it cannot be changed or updated (such as preferred name or identity) is during an admission and this is for the safety of your child so that all medical records, as well as any pending labs, orders, etc. remain consistent to patient identifiers throughout the admission.

  • Yes, we would ask you to provide us with court documents if your child has changed their legal name.
  • We would ask you provide us with any legal documentation, as well as proof your insurance company has been updated, if their legal sex changes. 
  • Both of the above are requested so we can keep our medical records accurate and complete, as well as avoid any denials of payment from your insurance company should they have a different name or sex on file than us.