In our growing region of North Carolina, more patients are choosing NHRMC for their medical care. Because so many are seeking care at NHRMC, we have developed a plan to make sure that our patient beds are being optimized.
Interdisciplinary rounding is of the initiatives that NHRMC has implemented to improve patient flow and throughput.
Interdisciplinary Rounding
Evidence shows that interdisciplinary rounding has a positive impact providing efficient, quality patient care and ensuring good team communication at NHRMC. Provider-integrated interdisciplinary rounds on the third and sixth floors have resulted in fewer PerfectServe messages and enhanced teamwork.
The Flow and Throughput team is evolving this essential tool to focus on patient discharge. With a motto of “plan for the day, plan for the stay,” the interdisciplinary rounding process will take place at the bedside, last just 1-2 minutes per patient and will focus on what care the patient needs to be discharged.
The entire team (nursing, providers, ancillary team, case management, social work) will hear the same message, and they will understand what the other team members need in order to ensure a safe, timely discharge.
The idea is to get everyone involved in the patient’s care to understand any barriers to discharge that they can affect and to eliminate redundant messages throughout the day.
“Interdisciplinary rounding is a best practice communication model that promotes teamwork and patient-centeredness, and is the platform by which NHRMC can enhance quality, safety, and reliability for all patients in the future,” said Dr. Charmaine Lewis, Quality Director of NHRMC Hospitalists. “Including barriers to discharge in our rounding process will help organize the team around patients’ needs in order to expedite throughput.”
The new process will be kicked off May 15 on the fourth floor. The teams will discuss the process and potential improvements before it expands to additional floors.