Virtual family-centred rounds support high-quality care in paediatric inpatients: A mixed-methods process evaluation

Virtual care use exploded during the COVID-19 pandemic, but comprehensive evaluations of inpatient virtual care are lacking. This process evaluation of virtual family-centred rounds (vFCR) aimed to determine if vFCR supports high-quality care with comparable effectiveness, usefulness, and acceptability to in-person family-centred rounds.

This mixed-methods evaluation was conducted in a freestanding academic tertiary care children's hospital from May to June 2021. Virtual observations were used to evaluate the effectiveness of vFCR compared to in-person rounds and timing benchmarks. In-person observations were used to collect vFCR technology usability data. Questionnaires were distributed postrounds to understand patient/family and medical team perceptions of vFCR effectiveness, satisfaction, safety, and technology usability.

Adherence to the core components of family-centred rounds during vFCR was variable. vFCR timing was consistent with benchmarks despite regular delays. The majority (93%) of survey respondents were satisfied with vFCR, and 67% felt it was important to do FCR virtually during the pandemic for increased safety. Importantly, vFCR was perceived by 97% of medical team members as supporting shared decision-making with patients and families and 78% of patients/families felt like valued partners in their (child's) care. vFCR technology was perceived as easy or very easy to use by 95% of respondents.

Virtual family-centred rounds were found to be effective, safe and met with high levels of satisfaction by patients/families and medical team members. The technology was perceived to be easy to learn and use. Rounds efficiency and transition times were identified as opportunities for improvement.