Cost rounds: presentations by residents on the cost of care

Cost rounds are conferences on ambulatory medical care presented by third-year residents at the University of Washington in Seattle. The content includes data from a chart audit, charges for services in the clinic and laboratory, and suggested management guidelines. The chart audits stimulate interest in the conferences, and they are feasible when residents are provided with ways to identify patients by diagnosis, specific medication, or laboratory test. This program is a sustainable method of involving residents in discussions about the quality and cost of the care they deliver.