Authors' objectives: The objective of this HTA is to illustrate the ward round as a production of knowledge aimed at managing the diagnostic and therapeutic work. Thus, the ward round should be seen as a production of knowledge created continuously in relations between physicians, nurses, patients and case notes. The report is aimed at achieving an understanding of the complex relations constituting a ward round – and thus illustrate the obvious practices embedded in the players' way of employing the ward round. Also, the report should discuss some of the practical problems (e.g. patient communication, coordination of treatment, time consumption, use of electronic patient records and training of junior doctors) in connection with the organization of the ward round in a modern health service.

Authors' recommendations: All in all the report shows that the ward round players in their daily practice attempt to integrate ideals of clinical efficiency, patient involvement and training. Thus, on an ongoing basis, the ward round players weigh several considerations and objectives pulling in different directions. In the discussion of the main analysis results it is pointed out that with many different players and several different interests represented in the ward round practice one obvious way of practising the ward round does not exist. However, based on both the limited data basis of the report and the characteristics of the modern health service it is proposed that it may be appropriate to reorganize the traditional ward round on internal medical wards by: attending to the patients according to requirement; letting the ward round patient contact take place in private; using EPR as a tool for the administrative part of the ward round, e.g. prescription of medicine and cooperation between wards; always having a consultant present during the pre ward round to take care of the training of the junior doctors and to ensure quality and efficiency of medical decisions; formalizing the pre ward round (even more) in order that physicians' and nurses' different forms of knowledge about the patients' condition are exchanged in a dialogue.

Project Status: Completed

Year Published: 2006

URL for published report: http://www.sst.dk/publ/Publ2006/CEMTV/Stuegang/Stuegang.pdf

URL for additional information: http://www.sst.dk/publ/Publ2006/CEMTV/Stuegang/Stuegang_UKsum.pdf

English language abstract: An English language summary is available

Publication Type: Not Assigned

Country: Denmark

Organisation Name: Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment

Contact Address: National Board of Health, PO Box 1881, Islands Brygge 67, DK-2300 Copenhagen S, Denmark. Tel: 45 72 22 74 48; Fax: 45 72 22 74 07/67

Contact Name: dacehta@sst.dk

Contact Email: dacehta@sst.dk

Copyright: Danish Centre for Evaluation and Health Technology Assessment (DACEHTA)