From the Patient's Perspective: Orthopedic Virtual Rounds

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Technology
• Patient Care Management
• Orthopedic Surgery

Background:

• Interdisciplinary rounding is crucial for hospital inpatient care quality and safety.
• Increasing orthopedic group size and geographic spread challenge surgeons' ability to conduct daily in-person rounds due to time and distance constraints.
• Virtual technology is increasingly adopted in healthcare to bridge gaps in access to medical professionals.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the patient experience of virtual inpatient rounding.
• To assess the feasibility and patient perception of using digital communication for surgeon rounds.

Main Methods:

• Virtual rounds were conducted using digital communication technology, connecting surgeons via mobile devices or laptops to nursing unit communication tablets.
• Twenty-seven patient interviews were digitally recorded.
• Qualitative analysis was performed on the recorded interviews.

Main Results:

• Virtual rounds were generally perceived positively by patients, serving as a viable alternative when in-person rounds were not feasible.
• A significant portion of patients reported a good overall experience with virtual rounding.
• Some patients expressed dissatisfaction, specifically noting a feeling of being 'rushed' during the virtual encounters.

Conclusions:

• Virtual inpatient rounding can provide a positive patient experience and is a valuable alternative to traditional in-person rounds.
• Feedback indicates a need to optimize the duration and pacing of virtual rounds to enhance patient satisfaction.
• Further improvements in virtual rounding technology and provider preparation can maximize its benefits for patient care.