The return of bedside rounds: an educational intervention.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Clinical Practice Improvement
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Bedside rounds have declined on teaching services due to perceived inefficiency and lack of preference.
• Barriers include concerns about time and engagement from both patients and healthcare professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the impact of an educational intervention on bedside rounding frequency.
• To evaluate changes in patient encounter duration and rounding session length.
• To measure patient and resident attitudes towards bedside rounding.

Main Methods:

• A pre- and postintervention study design was employed.
• An educational workshop on bedside rounding was conducted.
• Data collected via daily resident interviews, patient surveys, and house staff surveys.

Main Results:

• Bedside rounding increased from less than 1% to 41% post-intervention (p < 0.001).
• Patient encounter and rounding session durations remained similar between bedside and alternative rounding methods.
• Patients receiving bedside rounds showed a strong preference (99% vs. 83%, p = 0.03) and perceived more team time.

Conclusions:

• An educational intervention effectively increased bedside rounding frequency.
• Bedside rounding is time-efficient and preferred by patients, who perceive greater team engagement.
• While residents found bedside rounds less educational, overall value for patient care was recognized.