Reimagine the rounding experience with a virtual rounding queue.

Q-rounds is a virtual queue that sends real-time notifications to patients, families, nurses, and other stakeholders of when to arrive for rounds and gives families the opportunity to join remotely if they can’t be there in person. This lets the care team plan their day more efficiently with personalized notifications and schedule visibility via the EHR, while empowering patients and their families with the Time Transparency™ they’ve come to expect as a consumer in almost every other industry.

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197
%
Increase in family presence at rounds
215
%
increase in nurse presence for the entirety of rounds
38
%
Reduction in harmful errors when nurse is present for rounds
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Q-rounds solves one of the biggest challenges in healthcare by taking the waiting around out of rounds.

Step 1

Build the Queue

Q-rounds pulls patient lists from the EHR, and with a combination of AI and the provider’s own decision making, patients are marked as high priority or ready for discharge. This creates a rounding schedule that prioritizes efficiency and patient care.

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Step 2

Share the Queue

Q-rounds shares the rounding schedule with everyone who needs to be present for rounds, with real-time updates if their place in the queue changes. Families receive a text message; nurses are notified in the EHR and on their communication devices.

Step 3

Arrive at Rounds Together

Having everyone present for rounds, including nurses, interpreters, and families, leads to improved patient advocacy, effective communication, higher levels of confidence in the care team, and satisfaction with the care provided.

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White Paper

The Impact of Q-roundsTM in Hospital Systems

Unlock revenue potential and cost savings by reimagining the rounding experience with a virtual rounding queue.

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Waiting around for rounds costs more than just time.

Increased Costs
from inefficient use of time spent tracking down families and nurses
Increased Costs
from medical errors, due to
gaps in communication
Lost Revenue
from negative patient experience, affecting payer reimbursements
Lost Revenue
from inefficient bed turnover
on the day of discharge
This solution is remarkable! Nurses and families all loved it and it was pretty seamless for the medical team. You are not allowed to turn this off after the pilot!
V.P. OF PATIENT SAFETY AND Q-ROUNDS USER
Features

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Evidence based, research backed

Resources

This blog article summarizes a study co-authored by Q-rounds cofounder and CEO Michael Pitt, MD, and Marissa Hendrickson, MD.

Healthcare professionals know the importance of effective provider-patient communication, which is why many of them would be surprised to learn how often they default to using jargon—and the confusion it causes patients.

Jargon-oblivion—a term coined by Q-rounds co-founder and CEO, Pitt and his colleague Hendrickson—describes the discrepancy between physicians’ self-rated skill in clear communication and their patients’ ability to understand the terms being used. 

We’ve compiled the seven most common types of jargon-oblivion to help providers determine what types of jargon may be present in their patient interactions.

Type 1: Technical terminology

This is what most people think of when they define medical jargon. These words were likely learned in medical school including disease names, symptoms, anatomy, procedures, treatments and laboratory tests. In many cases, providers may not have known these words before their own medical training.

Type 2: Alphabet soup

Acronyms and abbreviations are a sub-category of technical terminology. While qualifying an abbreviation with the full term may seem helpful, it often generates further confusion. Saying “You had an MI—a myocardial infarction” is still less clear than telling someone, “You had a heart attack.” 

Type 3: Medical vernacular

These words may be familiar to people, but are not universally known or understood. Words like febrile for having a fever, or sepsis for life-threatening infection, may be something many people have heard frequently in medical TV shows, but that doesn’t guarantee people will understand its importance or significance.

Type  4: Medicalized English

These words or phrases may be known, but have a different meaning in the context of medicine with many things meaning the opposite in medicine as they do in regular use. Negative test results are usually a good thing, meaning the patient doesn’t have the condition they were tested for, but negative in everyday usage is thought of as a bad thing, such as negative restaurant reviews. This accidental antonym—a word opposite in meaning to another—has been shown to confuse patients.

Type 5: Unnecessary synonyms 

Medical synonyms are often used to replace simple, universally understood terms, such as upper extremities instead of arms or erythema instead of red. 

Type 6: Euphemisms

These words are attempts to soften language providers may find difficult to say, but which provide less clarity. Doctors may say a “spot on the X-ray” or avoid using the words death or dying directly, choosing euphemisms instead. 

Type 7: Judgemental jargon

These phrases may reflect bias or appear derogatory, despite there being no such intent. Examples include describing the primary concern a patient has as their chief complaint, which is taught in medical school and included in many medical note templates, but this is often interpreted by patients as their doctor describing them as complaining.  

Rounding it up

Identifying and minimizing jargon-oblivion is a relatively easy way for providers to improve their ability to communicate with patients in ways that they find meaningful to provide safe, effective, patient-centered care. Because if patients can’t understand the meaning of what providers are saying, their efforts to communicate become meaningless.

Q-rounds helps address jargon-oblivion by making multidisciplinary family-centered rounds possible. Having care teams, the patient and their family present makes it easier to recognize when confusion occurs so clarifying comments or further explanation can be given.

Interested in learning more? Read the full study or see how Q-rounds can help.

Q-rounds, our virtual rounding queue app, gives healthcare professionals real-time access to daily rounding schedules, enabling them to plan their activities more effectively and deliver timely care to patients. This rounding coordination allows HCOs to maximize efficiency and elevate patient outcomes.

Aligning staff schedules for optimal performance 

Knowing daily rounding schedules plays a pivotal role in streamlining workflows and optimizing staff performance. Ensuring the right healthcare professionals are present when and where they’re needed most. This strategic approach minimizes staff downtime and optimizes productivity so healthcare professionals can provide seamless patient care.

Q-rounds goes a step further, sending real-time notifications to nurses, interpreters,  patients and families of when to arrive for rounds. Armed with this knowledge, providers, nurses and other care team members can plan their tasks and prioritize patient rounds. This means they spend less time waiting around for rounding assignments and more time delivering critical care to patients.

Maximizing resource allocation

Resource allocation is a constant balancing act in the healthcare setting. With daily rounding schedules, HCOs gain valuable insights into patient demand, allowing them to strategically allocate resources. Knowing the expected number of patients and round duration during specific rounds ensures that enough healthcare professionals are available to provide timely and comprehensive care. 

Q-rounds can help HCOs adapt on the fly, allowing administrators to quickly adjust staffing assignments if there’s a sudden surge in patient admissions. This agility minimizes bottlenecks, ensuring a smoother patient care experience.

Reducing patient waiting times

Prompt and timely care is an important aspect of patient satisfaction. Daily rounding schedules enable healthcare professionals to plan their rounds efficiently, minimizing patient waiting times or delays. This proactive approach to patient care shows patients their time is valued, reinforcing a patient-centered culture within the hospital. 

Q-rounds acts as a reliable guide, giving providers and care teams real-time updates on rounding schedules. Knowing when they’ll be needed allows healthcare professionals to be more responsible and deliver care more promptly. This results in patients experiencing reduced waiting times and feeling more at ease during their hospital stay.

Creating smoother workflows for patient care

Smooth workflows are the signature of a high-functioning healthcare organization. Daily rounding schedules create a structured framework for patient care, ensuring no patient is overlooked or neglected during the rounding process. When providers are aware of the timing and sequence of rounds, they can seamlessly transition from one patient to another, minimizing disruptions and maintaining a steady flow of care.

Q-rounds provides healthcare professionals a digital platform to access rounding schedules. Our app organizes rounding assignments, centralizes communication and eliminates the need for manual tracking, streamlining the process. This integration of technology into daily rounding schedules fosters a more efficient and patient-focused approach to care.

Rounding it up

Efficiency is the key to delivering exceptional healthcare experiences and achieving positive patient outcomes. Daily rounding schedules can align staff schedules for optimal performance, maximize resource allocation, reduce patient waiting times and create smoother workflows for patient care. 

Q-rounds plays a fundamental role in enhancing rounding coordination by providing real-time access to daily rounding schedules in addition to sending notifications to care teams, families and patients when to arrive at rounds, getting everyone present in the room.

In the fast-paced world of healthcare, efficiency and seamless coordination are paramount to providing high-quality patient care. Daily rounding schedules have emerged as a powerful tool healthcare organizations (HCOs) can use to optimize their operations and elevate patient experiences. 

Together, we’ll explore the benefits of knowing daily rounding schedules, delving into how they improve efficiency, care team communication and collaboration, patient care and satisfaction, resource allocation, data analysis, and overall compliance. We’ll also examine how our virtual rounding queue app, Q-rounds, empowers healthcare teams to harness the full potential of daily rounding schedules, further enhancing patient-centered care and organizational success.

Improved efficiency: Streamlining workflows for optimal performance

Efficiency lies at the core of exceptional healthcare delivery. Knowing daily rounding schedules allows HCOs to align staff schedules with patient needs, minimizing downtime and maximizing productivity

With Q-rounds, healthcare professionals can access real-time rounding schedules, enabling them to plan their activities accordingly and have a real-time answer to the most common questions patients ask their nurse, “When will the doctor be here?” By strategically prioritizing rounding times, HCOs can optimize staff deployment and resource allocation, resulting in reduced waiting times for patients and smoother patient care workflows.

Enhanced communication and coordination: Uniting care teams for better outcomes

In a collaborative healthcare environment, effective communication is vital to ensure seamless patient care. Daily rounding schedules serve as a unifying thread, bringing care teams together at specific times to discuss patient progress, treatment plans, and any potential challenges. 

Q-rounds empowers care teams by providing them with real-time rounding schedules, ensuring all team members are present and informed during patient rounds. This enhanced coordination fosters clearer communication, empowers interdisciplinary collaboration and results in more comprehensive and patient-centered care.

Streamlined patient care: Elevating outcomes and safety

Streamlined and coordinated patient care is essential for delivering positive health outcomes. Daily rounding schedules enable HCOs to implement standardized care practices, reducing variations in care and medical errors. 

Q-rounds sends real-time notifications about rounding times to nurses and providers, ensuring patients receive timely and consistent care. This streamlined approach not only improves outcomes, it enhances patient safety and fosters a culture of continuous improvement.

Increased patient satisfaction: Cultivating a positive healthcare experience

Patient satisfaction is an integral measure of a healthcare organization's success. Efficient and well-coordinated daily rounding schedules contribute significantly to a positive patient experience. Knowing when to expect the care team instills confidence in patients, making them feel valued and heard. 

Q-rounds ensures patients are informed of rounding schedules, and gives them the opportunity to join rounds remotely if they can’t be there in person, empowering them to actively participate in their care and fostering a sense of partnership with their healthcare providers. The result is higher patient satisfaction rates and improved patient retention for HCOs.

Better resource allocation: Strategically managing staff and assets

Resource allocation is a critical aspect of effective healthcare management. Daily rounding schedules play a crucial role in ensuring the right staff members are available at the right times to deliver care effectively. 

Q-rounds facilitates strategic resource allocation by providing real-time data on rounding schedules, enabling HCOs to optimize staffing levels and manage resources efficiently. By aligning staffing needs with patient demand, HCOs can improve cost-effectiveness, reduce staffing inefficiencies, and deliver timely and personalized care.

Data collection and analysis: Informed decision-making for continuous improvement

Data-driven insights are invaluable in the quest for continuous improvement in healthcare. Daily rounding schedules serve as a structured framework for data collection, allowing HCOs to gather essential information during patient interactions.

Q-rounds allows healthcare teams to capture valuable data points related to patient care, treatment progress and patient feedback. These insights enable HCOs to analyze trends, identify areas for improvement and implement evidence-based practices, driving organizational growth and delivering better patient outcomes.

Enhanced team collaboration: Fostering unity and cohesion

A cohesive and supportive care team is the backbone of successful healthcare delivery. Clear and predictable daily rounding schedules enhance team collaboration by promoting active participation during rounds. 

Q-rounds facilitates better care team collaboration by ensuring all members are informed and prepared for patient interactions. This sense of unity and cohesion boosts team morale, fosters a positive work culture and translates into improved patient care and satisfaction.

Compliance and accountability: Upholding the highest standards

Adherence to healthcare protocols and standards is essential for ensuring patient safety and quality of care. Daily rounding schedules play a vital role in maintaining compliance by ensuring timely patient check-ins and monitoring. 

Q-rounds empowers HCOs to promote accountability among care teams, ensuring they adhere to established protocols and meet patient care requirements. This commitment to compliance safeguards patient well-being and upholds the highest standards of healthcare delivery.

Rounding it up

The benefits of knowing daily rounding schedules extend well beyond mere scheduling conveniences. Healthcare organizations stand to gain improved efficiency, care team communication and collaboration, patient care and satisfaction, resource allocation, data analysis, and overall compliance. 

Q-rounds takes these advantages to the next level, providing real-time rounding schedules and notifications of when to arrive for rounds, facilitating team coordination and empowering both healthcare providers and patients alike. 

Embracing this technology ensures a patient-centered approach, elevating the overall healthcare experience and fortifying the foundation of successful healthcare organizations.

Delis are a microcosm of the world, because who doesn’t love a freshly wrapped sandwich? And who wouldn’t want to sample some olives or cheese? 

And who doesn’t love getting a number letting them know exactly when their order is ready?

As consumers, we’re trained—if not conditioned—to expect information about when something will occur. We’re told when our packages will arrive, when our meals will be delivered, that our haircut is scheduled and the bus is three stops away.

The need for Time Transparency™

That certainty—knowing exactly where you are in the queue—is what we call Time TransparencyTM. Up until now, it’s been lacking in healthcare settings, leaving us held hostage when we’re at our most vulnerable.

Nothing strips a person of their humanity faster than being trapped in the fog of knowing something’s wrong, and having to wait until someone can finally tell them what’s going on. Test results, diagnoses, treatment plans. These are life-altering—and sometimes shattering—moments that deserve everyone’s full attention. 

Family members of loved ones in the hospital are afraid to get a cup of coffee or go to the bathroom in case they miss the opportunity to meet with the doctor during rounds. And that’s just the families who are able to be at the bedside in the first place. Many can’t afford to be there all day waiting for rounds, or may not live in the same city as their loved one. 

Ultimately, hospitals are waiting rooms,too. While it may start with waiting around for rounds, the side effects go deeper than that. Wasting time and money. Inefficient scheduling and care team frustrations. Missed connections. Decreased levels of care, and unnecessary emotional stress and feelings of helplessness put on patients, families and providers.

Taking the waiting around out of rounds

Q-rounds is reimagining the rounding experience with a virtual rounding queue that sends real-time notifications of when to arrive at rounds, ensuring the entire care team, patient and family members are present. And for families who can’t be there, they can RSVP to join rounds virtually the moment the doctor enters their loved one’s room. Introducing Time Transparency™ to rounding lets everyone plan ahead, taking stress off patients and their families, and lets providers and administrators more efficiently manage their day.

Because healthcare works best when everyone works in sync.