Family-Centered Rounds: A Decade of Growth

Abstract

In the last decade, in an effort to improve family-centered care, pediatric hospitalists have incorporated family-centered bedside rounds into the inpatient setting. By involving patients and families in decision-making during rounds, we have given a new twist to the old concept of bedside rounds and called it family-centered rounds (FCRs). In 2007, Muething et al1 developed the first FCR model for improvement and described the role of FCRs in enhancing family-centered care, trainee education, and reducing discharge timeliness. Since then, many hospitalists programs have incorporated FCRs into their daily rounds, and by 2010, >44% of pediatric hospitalists reported conducting FCRs.2 Sisterhen et al3 defined FCRs as a model that involves planned, purposeful interaction that requires the permission of patients and families and the cooperation of physicians, nurses, and ancillary staff. Although the last decade was spent in establishing FCRs and identifying the attendees’ perceptions of FCRs and their impact on patient care, a recent study by Sharma et al4 in the current issue of Hospital Pediatrics has taken FCRs to the next level by better operationalizing FCRs and setting the stage for future …