Alphabetical prejudice in team discussions (or would Zebedee ever get seen on a ward round).
OBJECTIVE
To ascertain whether the order in which patients are discussed in a team meeting determines the time spent on discussion.


METHODS
Prospective study over 18 consecutive multidisciplinary team meetings.


METHODS
Multidisciplinary team meetings on a Brain Injury Rehabilitation Unit, Edinburgh.


METHODS
Time spent discussing each case.


RESULTS
Patients discussed early on received 3-4 minutes more discussion time than those later on. This was highly significant on a one-way analysis of variance (P < 0.001).


CONCLUSIONS
Preferential treatment of patients who come at the start of the team meeting is a real phenomenon. Such alphabetical prejudice, where it exists, should be addressed.
Singh
Rajiv
R
Scottish Brain Injury Rehabilitation Service, Astley Ainslie Hospital, Edinburgh EH9 2HL, UK. rajiv.singh@lpct.scot.nhs.uk
Philip
Alistair
A
Smith
Stephen
S
Pentland
Brian
B
D015982:Bias; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D033183:Interdisciplinary Communication; D009275:Names; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011287:Prejudice; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012606:Scotland; D013997:Time Factors