title: Improving the quality of care for medical inpatients by placing a higher priority on ward rounds.
abstract: Models suggested for managing acute, non-elective, medical admissions include expanding geriatric services, extending the role of the acute physician and rejuvenating the role of the general physician. We investigated improving inpatient care by changing consultants' work patterns and placing a higher priority on the ward rounds. A focus group and a questionnaire were used to study the impact on several ward round parameters. All respondents reported an overall satisfaction: 93% rated the quality of care as good or excellent, 75% reported increased safe patient discharges and 68% observed improved teamwork. Length of stay reduced to 4 days from 5.3 days without an increase in readmission. The main themes showed improved quality of care, better assured patients and relatives, and better consultant job satisfaction, but also showed reduced junior doctors' independent decision-making and a slight reduction in specialty-related activity. The study concluded that placing a higher priority on ward rounds by altering consultants' work patterns has a positive impact on inpatient care.
authors.affiliation: Barnsley Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, Barnsley, UK.
authors.forename: Ash
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Soliman
authors.forename: Shahzad
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Riyaz
authors.forename: Elmhutady
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Said
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hale
authors.forename: Andy
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mills
authors.forename: Kapil
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Kapur
mesh_terms: D003253:Consultants; D017144:Focus Groups; D006801:Humans; D007297:Inpatients; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000592:standards*; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000592:standards*; D017060:Patient Satisfaction; D010362:Patients' Rooms / Q000592:standards*; D058996:Quality Improvement / Q000458:organization & administration*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Ward rounds; general physician; hospitalist; medical hospital admissions; specialist