Research shows that bedside nurses who told patients they would check on them every hour on a handful of critical topics (belongings, pain, etc.) were able to reduce patient anxiety, decrease call-light usage and improve customer satisfaction.[1] This method of creating a routine for patient contact and setting expectations for follow-up was called Hourly Rounding.
This patient satisfaction tool can also be used to keep a pulse on the facility culture for healthcare improvement. I like to use rounding as a model for staff discussions, asking a couple of open questions and taking notes about any complaints or issues that are brought up, and trying to foster a trusting relationship with staff. Obviously, I would never be able to round on the entire hospital every hour, but the idea of having a routine of connecting frequently with the people affected by our work makes a good deal of sense. I discovered years later that this principle of rounding on the front lines is also called a “Gemba Round” in Lean Manufacturing methodology. [2] Either way, the goal is to not lose sight of the real processes we are trying to improve.
By Gayle Porter
