Family-centered rounds.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Patient-Centered Care
• Medical Education

Background:

• Family-centered rounds (FCRs) are a collaborative approach involving medical teams, patients, and families in daily decision-making.
• FCRs offer numerous benefits, including enhanced patient satisfaction, improved communication, streamlined discharge planning, better medical education, and increased patient safety.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the benefits and barriers of implementing family-centered rounds in healthcare settings.
• To highlight the growing adoption of FCRs and suggest future directions for practice and research.

Main Methods:

• Literature review of studies on family-centered rounds.
• Analysis of identified benefits and barriers to FCR implementation.
• Synthesis of current practices and future recommendations for FCRs.

Main Results:

• Key benefits identified: improved patient satisfaction, communication, discharge planning, medical education, and patient safety.
• Significant barriers include variability in attending physician involvement, round duration, physical space constraints, sensitive patient conditions, and inadequate training.
• Despite challenges, FCRs have been increasingly adopted in healthcare over the last decade.

Conclusions:

• Family-centered rounds are a valuable model for enhancing patient care and medical education.
• Future efforts should concentrate on optimizing FCR operationalization and measuring objective outcomes like communication, coordination, and patient satisfaction.
• Addressing identified barriers through targeted training and improved logistics is essential for maximizing the effectiveness of FCRs.