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Original article

Vol. 155 No. 4 (2025)

Patient perspective of ward rounds in Swiss internal medicine departments: a mixed-methods study

Cite this as:
Swiss Med Wkly. 2025;155:4070
Published
30.04.2025

Summary

BACKGROUND: Ward rounds carried out by interprofessional teams are an important element of patient-centred care in the field of internal medicine. This quantitative and qualitative study aimed to assess patient satisfaction with interprofessional ward rounds.

METHODS: This mixed-methods observational study evaluated patient satisfaction with ward rounds in a hospital setting. A total of 211 hospitalised patients from four different hospitals were assessed between 25 August and 8 September 2023. Quantitative data were collected using a visual analogue scale (VAS) from 0 to 10 with satisfaction scores at or below the median VAS defined as the primary endpoint. A median split was applied to categorise patients into groups for comparison. We examined associations between ward round-related factors and satisfaction. Additionally, a qualitative assessment was conducted using open-ended interviews to explore patients’ perception of ward rounds. The study adhered to standards for reporting qualitative research.

RESULTS: Of the 211 patients analysed (participation rate 59.3%), the median satisfaction score was 8 points. Lower satisfaction was significantly less frequent among patients who reported high comprehensibility (i.e. information was understandable) of their current medical situation (adjusted odds ratio [OR] 0.55, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.45–0.69; p <0.001). Similarly, being involved in medical discussions was associated with higher satisfaction (adjusted OR for lower satisfaction 0.39, 95% CI 0.30–0.52; p <0.001). Qualitative analysis revealed that patients wish to be accurately informed about the current medical situation (31.3%) and be actively involved in ward round discussions (31.3%). Overall, patients preferred interprofessional ward rounds; however one main concern was insufficient transfer of information between the professions.

CONCLUSIONS: This study provides important insights from the patient perspective regarding elements of patient-centred care during the medical ward round. Active involvement of patients and information transfer were key issues that may further improve the patient experience and patient satisfaction with care.

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