Peter W. New
DOI: 10.2340/16501977-0224

Objective: To survey inpatients in a rehabilitation hospital regarding their preference for ward rounds to be conducted at the bedside or in a consulting room.
Design: Before-after trial. Patients were seen on ward round at the bedside during one week and then in a consulting room the following week. Patients were asked about their preferred setting and their reasons for their preference.
Patients: Rehabilitation inpatients (n=45) in Melbourne, Australia with predominantly acute neurological and orthopaedic impairments.
Methods: Age, gender and impairment category of respondents were noted. Ward round preference was analysed assuming a binomial distribution.
Results: A statistically significant number (p=0. 04) of patients preferred to be seen in the consulting room (n=29, 64%). There were 13 (29%) who preferred the bedside and 3 (7%) indicated no preference. There was no influence of gender (p=0. 1) or impairment category (p=0. 3) on preference, but younger patients preferred the consulting room (p=0. 03).
Conclusion: Most rehabilitation patients in hospital would rather attend a ward round held in a consulting room than at the bedside. The consulting room has many advantages over the traditional bedside location for ward rounds in a rehabilitation hospital.