Family members join medical rounds

INDIANAPOLIS, Dec. 7 (UPI) -- Having a member of a pediatric patient's family join medical rounds benefits both the family and the medical team, U.S. researchers found.

The Indiana University School of Medicine study involved family members of pediatric cancer and hematology patients in medical rounds conducted at Riley Hospital for Children in Indianapolis.

"Despite initial reluctance from fellows and nurses, having family members join in rounds was hugely successful and improved the standard of care," Dr. Holly Knoderer, the study leader, said in a statement.

The study, published in Academic Medicine, found the presence of family members minimally prolonged team rounds, but overall the medical team workload was either unchanged or somewhat shortened because most families who attended needed far less time later at the bedside, and plans were less likely to change.

Riley is one of only a few hospitals inviting parents to be involved in rounds, Knoderer said. In fact, the Riley rounds -- usually sit-down sessions conducted away from bedside -- can also include nurses, social workers, nutritionists, clinical pharmacists and others in addition to the traditional medical students, residents, fellows and attending physician.

However, the researchers noted, the more medical participants involved, the less likely parents were to participate in the team rounds.