Mitigating physician burnout and improving doctor-patient relationships

Amidst the dynamic changes in healthcare, strategic technology investments play a pivotal role in reshaping the delivery of care. A recent article from Becker's Health IT sheds light on the technology wishlist of health system CEOs, highlighting key priorities for the next 12 months. Q-rounds™, with its innovative approach to patient experience and seamless integrations, emerges as a solution addressing multiple items on the CEO's tech wish list.

Seamless Care Coordination Applications‍

John Couris, CEO of Tampa (Fla.) General Hospital says “...we must effectively coordinate all of the care patients receive so that they move through the system without friction…”

By bringing all stakeholders together for daily rounds, nurses, consultants and families are able to participate in health updates and care decisions more efficiently. And with AI-assisted decision-making,  Q-rounds marks patients as high priority or ready for discharge, creating a rounding queue that aligns with the healthcare system's need for innovation and effectiveness.

Drivers of Elite Patient Experience‍

Nancy Howell Agee, CEO of Carilion Clinic in Roanoke, Va., sees successful health systems being hyer-focused on the patient journey, prioritizing easy access to care and a great experience. "We'll eliminate wait times and use technology that streamlines processes. As healthcare leaders, innovation is in the DNA of every one of us.”

Q-rounds™ aligns seamlessly with the vision of delivering an elite patient experience. Real-time updates and notifications ensure that patients, families, and care teams are informed about rounding schedules, eliminating wait times and enhancing overall patient satisfaction. The technology empowers healthcare leaders with user-friendly tools, contributing to a future where care is convenient, easy to access, and technologically advanced.

"Meeting patients where they are, when and how they want to interact with us as a health system will be imperative for health systems to continue to be relevant amidst the consumer-focused new market entrants." Says Lynne Fiscus, MD, president and CEO of UNC Physicians Network in Durham, N.C.,

‍Automation Everywhere

Mark Behl, president and CEO of NorthBay Health in Fairfield, Calif., tells Beckers he is prioritizing automation to become more efficient and support the workforce. He said healthcare is at an inflection point, and leaders are searching for "imagination, bold ideas and the courage to think differently" in the next few years to redesign the healthcare system.

Automating healthcare brings opportunity for efficiency, but also can disconnect providers from their teams and patients. Q-rounds is unique in its ability to bring automation to the bedside in a way that enhances human connection, instead of replacing it. 

Technology to Support the Workforce

“Staffing shortages are not new by any means, however, they have been exacerbated by growing demand for healthcare availability largely driven by an aging population and an increasing need for healthcare at all levels," Joseph Webb, CEO of Nashville General Hospital, told Becker's.

Q-rounds™ offers a transformative solution to support the healthcare workforce. By automating the inclusion of nurses and families during daily rounds, Q-rounds optimizes efficiency without burdening providers with the responsibility of notifying everyone when to be present for rounds. Through real-time updates and communication, Q-rounds fosters a routine connection between healthcare professionals and the families of their patients. This not only contributes to the effectiveness of care delivery but also underscores the human-centric approach that is integral to provider wellbeing. According to a study conducted by the University of Minnesota, the implementation of Q-rounds resulted in a remarkable 247% increase in nurse attendance and a 197% increase in family attendance during rounds, attesting to its positive impact on healthcare engagement.

Health Equity and Population Health Boosters

“Hospitals and health systems refocused on closing the gaps in health disparities and delivering customized population health solutions to their communities during the pandemic. There is huge momentum to continue and grow these efforts as technology makes them easier and more affordable.” Jill Hoggard Green, PhD, RN, president and CEO of The Queen's Health System in Honolulu, sees AI technologies revolutionizing healthcare and moving the needle with health equity.

Q-rounds™ contributes to the ongoing efforts to reduce health disparities and enhance population health. Language barriers can significantly impact the healthcare experiences of children particularly when their caregivers prefer languages other than English. In a recent study published in Pediatrics, the association between caregiver non-English language preference and increased healthcare utilization for children was explored. To prevent an inequitable experience for patients of caregivers who prefer another language other than English Q-rounds helps break through language barriers and eliminate the added time waiting for an interpreter by automating their inclusion based on data available in the EHR. A family member can also request an interpreter be added to rounds and RSVP to let the team know if they’ll attend in person or virtually. 

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In conclusion, Q-rounds™ emerges as a transformative solution that seamlessly integrates with the CEO tech wishlist outlined by Becker's Health IT. By prioritizing patient care, efficiency, and innovation, Q-rounds™ is a valuable resource in the evolving landscape of healthcare delivery.

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• Source: "Becker's Health IT - Health System CEOs' tech wish list for the next 3 years"

The Power of Presence is an interview series that explores the experiences of physicians, nurses and families who have used Q-rounds; they are not compensated for sharing their stories, and responses have been edited for length and clarity. 

Mike Pitt, M.D., is a Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Minnesota and award-winning educator, as well as the CEO and cofounder of Q-rounds.

After 15 years of practicing pediatrics and educating future healthcare providers, Mike Pitt, M.D., knew the hospital rounding experience needed to change. What he didn’t expect was to be surprised by his own invention, the Q-rounds virtual rounding queue app.

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I’ve never been great with names and often struggle remembering the nurses’ names in the hospital. Q-rounds is changing that.

‍How did you learn care team members’ names before?

In some instances, you just see a number on a whiteboard—or you’re hoping name tags are facing the right way so you can read them. Even worse, sometimes I wouldn’t even meet face to face with the nurses, because they didn’t know when to be present for rounds so we wouldn’t be in the patient’s room at the same time. I noticed the last time I was rounding with Q-rounds, that by the end of the week I’d learned the name of every nurse on the floor. As I’m rounding in the Q-rounds app, II not only see the name of each nurse as I navigate from room to room, because Q-rounds sends them real-time notifications of when I will be there, I am able to round with the nurses for each and every patient.   

Greeting nurses by name helps patients and their families feel like their care team is a cohesive unit.

‍How does knowing someone’s name add value to rounds?

Knowing someone’s name matters—it’s a sign of respect, not only in the workplace but as fellow human beings. Research has shown that we have a surge of oxytocin - the joy hormone - when we hear our own name. There’s real value in being able to greet the nurses by name when they enter the room for rounds. It helps establish a broader relationship between me and the nurse, and shows the cohesiveness of the care team to patients and their families. They feel better seeing that I recognize their nurse, who is often their main point of contact.

I knew I wanted to help make things more predictable for patients and their families—I didn’t realize it would strengthen my own connections with the care team.

How else has learning people’s names enhanced rounds?

Rounds have become more inviting and engaging as I’ve learned people’s names. I’ve noticed nurses staying more engaged as I’m teaching during rounds, and in some cases sticking around after rounds to learn with the rest of the team—everything feels more holistic and interconnected instead of frantic and disjointed.

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Rounding it up

Q-rounds does more than make sure everyone is present at rounds—we’re creating an environment where physicians and nurses can forge stronger connections. This can help alleviate nurse and physician burnout, by helping people feel more connected to each other.

Patients are first and foremost people. How they feel about their provider, the care they received from them and the environment it happens in are driving forces in ensuring a high quality healthcare experience. Hospitals with high patient-reported satisfaction scores also tend to exhibit higher profitability, which allows them to secure the necessary resources to continue providing exceptional care.

In the high-stress, high-tension environment of pediatrics, the Q-rounds virtual rounding queue app can improve family attendance at rounds and enhance care team collaboration, contributing toward less burnout and more satisfied patients.

Prioritizing family involvement

Given the age of pediatric patients, their family members are essential allies when it comes to communicating their needs and requests. Their presence at rounds is essential, helping both put the patient at ease, as well as sharing relevant information the patient might not be able to communicate themselves. Most importantly, parental consent is a necessary part of implementing a care plan, so when they’re not present, care can be delayed.

64% of families felt that their doctor was more compassionate after interacting with them during rounds.

Q-rounds makes it easier for families to schedule their day around rounds, because they receive real-time notifications letting them know when rounds are taking place or if there’s any change in the doctor’s schedule. Over time, this builds trust between healthcare providers and families, allowing them to establish an ongoing relationship.

Communicating more effectively

Think back to one of your most confusing healthcare interactions. Now imagine how much less you would have understood if you had been ten years old—or less than five—at the time. That’s why it’s important to avoid medical jargon when communicating with children and their families. Not only can it help put them more at ease and make them feel more comfortable, it can lead to more constructive conversations.

57% of the time, care teams learned new and pertinent information about their patients when families were present at rounds.

Q-rounds improves communication among patients, their families and care teams by making sure everyone is present at rounds, whether it’s providing notifications for in-person rounds or giving families the option to attend virtually. Q-rounds also removes language barriers by helping confirm interpreter services will be provided.

Engaging nurses and specialists

Nurses are experts who can help explain health plans and procedures, as well as  answer questions and advocate on behalf of patients and their families. Nowhere is this more evident than in pediatric nursing, where nurses often interact more frequently with patients on a day-to-day basis. 

215% increase in nurse presence for the entirety of rounds after using Q-rounds

That consistency—tracking day-to-day changes both during and outside of rounds—is a vital part of pediatric care. Even the slightest change in status can speak magnitudes when it comes to a pediatric patient’s overall health and wellbeing. This highlights the need for nurses, physicians and even specialists to remain informed, and have the ability to collaborate together, in determining care plans.

38% reduction in medical errors when nurses are present

Q-rounds responds to all of these challenges by keeping nurses and specialists informed via notifications about when in-person rounds are beginning, as well as making it possible for specialists to attend rounds in-person or virtually. This flexibility means specialists have the option to do more consultations during the day, since it reduces travel time or allows them to see patients they wouldn’t normally have the opportunity to interact with.

‍Rounding it up

In pediatrics, patient satisfaction is ultimately about identifying an issue, treating it as quickly as possible, and helping patients and their families move on with their lives.

Q-rounds was founded on the understanding that multidisciplinary family-centered rounds have the power to improve the patient experience and enhance care teams’ ability to collaborate in providing top-notch care. Our real-time schedules, ability to RSVP to rounds, SMS text messages, alert notifications and virtual attendance option empower patients, families, nurses, physicians and specialists to both be present and plan their day around rounds.

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Interested in learning how Q-rounds can address your unique rounding challenges? Schedule a demo.

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