Over the past 18 months, we have seen completion compliance skyrocket. We have identified multiple process concerns through the rounding tool and have been able to address them individually. We will sustain results by continually reviewing the tool to ensure it remains relevant. This will review the process that took place to develop a patient safety and quality-focused rounding process in the ambulatory setting. It will review the tool itself as well as the process that has been developed to utilize the tool. It will also review how leadership support of the process has been crucial to the success of the rounding process. Lastly, it will review what data has been gathered and what processes have been updated or improved as a result of the rounding process.
Problem: There was no routine rounding process in place for our ambulatory sites to mirror what occurs in the inpatient setting. There was a lack of consistency from practice to practice in what was being routinely reviewed
Measurement: We developed a rounding tool based on the currently existing tool for the inpatient setting. We edited the tool to make it more relevant and appropriate to the ambulatory setting. We are measuring compliance with completion as well as compliance with each specific question on the tool
Analysis: We routinely review data to understand compliance with the completion of the monthly tool across the ambulatory setting. In areas with poor compliance, we try to understand the reason for the lack of compliance. On a quarterly basis, we review trends of specific questions and look to implement change as a response
Implementation: We implemented a monthly rounding process, with the expectation that it be completed at each individual practice each month. We encountered much pushback around workload and ‘one more thing to do’. We worked with leadership and encouraged delegation. Anyone in the ambulatory space can benefit from this process
