Implementing bedside rounds to improve patient-centred outcomes: a systematic review

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Delivery
• Hospital Management
• Patient-Centered Care

Background:

• Bedside rounds (BR) are proposed to enhance patient-centered hospital care.
• Significant variation exists in BR implementation and observed effects.
• Understanding these variations is crucial for optimizing patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the implementation of bedside rounds in hospital settings.
• To determine the effect of bedside rounds on patient-centered outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Systematic review of experimental studies comparing BR to other rounds.
• Inclusion of studies reporting quantitative patient-reported or clinical outcomes.
• Meta-analysis using random effects models to calculate pooled effect sizes for patient knowledge and experience.

Main Results:

• Twenty-nine studies met inclusion criteria, primarily from adult care in the USA.
• A small, statistically significant improvement in patient experience was observed with BR (Cohen's d=0.09).
• No significant association was found between BR and patient knowledge (Cohen's d=0.21, p=0.054).

Conclusions:

• Bedside rounds are implemented variably in hospitals, often with cointerventions.
• While BR show a modest positive effect on patient experience, their impact on patient knowledge is not significant.
• Further research is needed to address methodological limitations and optimize BR effectiveness.