Conversation Collective Review - How to conduct medical ward rounds


What follows below is an original version of the WhatsApp conversational review that began with an invitation statement from the teacher and each participant critically appraised and reviewed the Title "How to conduct medical ward rounds". As the discussion progressed, dialogue between the moderator students and a professor centred around study, and a review report was summarized (the moderator is indicated by the title “teacher” and/or initials (R.B.) and student reviewers are indicated by their initials).

VP: What kind of study is this? The article has made a typical medical ward structure, how it functions and executed with multidisciplinary team members ensuring patient safety, dignity and confidentiality; role of different members; enhancing teaching activity for the members and also importance of all of these for the patient.

VP: This is a very typical description of a medical ward round. Though I learned from its description, but could not learn anything new from it which we could have followed in medical wards or something that we don't practice.

VP: I do have few clarifications needed eg, In the section "conducting ward rounds"- the following acronym need more explanation "Using the ‘situation, background, assessment, recommendation’ (SBAR) structure, the team should discuss the clinical scenario"

VP: "A structured approach to discharge is essential (e.g. a pre-discharge board round)."- what are the different structured approach and any specific elaborated examples for that.

VP: Medications and outstanding issues should be carefully reviewed using a checklist method- what can be those check list methods. Would love to learn these general phrases with specific elaborated  examples.

VP: The article could emphasize more on the aspect of teaching opportunity for trainees through medical wards and how they play critical role in learning and if that is happening. If not, how can it improved with some examples.

VP: They could also discuss about use of technology in the conduction of medical ward rounds.

VP: Role of patient and carers should be more explained and emphasized.

AKG: Lucky that you practice and nothing new in this, good for them who don't do in such good ways, this gives idea to improve.

AKG: I don't think need more explanation, but an example case will clarify better.

AKG: Already discharge have a structure in various hospitals, pre discharge board rounds is a useful recommendation.

AKG: Mostly there are no such checklists available, sometimes there are, like one we recently learned from case going viral in news, primary physician doing IV must check what's the drug and dose before administering, this is also a checklist step.

AKG: Article topic is about how to conduct so i think good being short and specific.

For improvement , teaching opportunities etc. Have scope and that may be extra addition or something new knowledge than what already there in practice added by this article. Lot can be done, but by only telling how to do rest is on trainers to adapt and improve in their way as per case and audience.

AKG: Yes that may also be something new addition but i think this is not a research article for improving rounds but only a standard plan to do it well so fine this way also.

AKG: Patient => agree. Carer => its fine.

AKG: "Pre round should be done by the trainees or junior doctors5. Bed allocation should be done for trainees by the team leader who is the senior most among the consultants."
No need to write senior most...

AKG: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/SBAR

AKG: Patients = not only provide but also ask for concerns and help in deciding care choices they prefer, understand the possible complications and help themself by following/suppprting treatment (adherence)

AKG: This is very useful article for me, to know what exactly to expect from a ward round.

AKG: Reference 5 used is also to a pilot checklist.

So this idea should be removed, how can use such checklists if not existent mostly. If any then please tell.

AKG: Rest all seems fine to me.

RB: Yes it gives us an opinion (not sure about the quality of evidence that it references unless we go through them) but it doesn't tell us why we should do what it tells us to do. What impact will it have if we don't follow this opinion but adopt a different strategy? What other strategies exist for the clinical ward rounds?

AKG: 1st = comparison and analysis will tell sir, strategies should vary based on patient needs + audience needs + trainers style for maximum benefits of patient and then all.

2) another strategy as we have in electives,
Lot many variations possible sir.

AKG: 16 strategies by NICE on Page 6 to 12,

AKG: Not 16 types but 16 studies

AKG: For various ways of ward rounds

RB: Very valuable for the current authors to go through and incorporate in their review article to convert it from opinion to review

AKG: Link to pdf for authors
https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng94/evidence/28.structured-ward-rounds-pdf-172397464641&ved=2ahUKEwjyuuOA0uLhAhWkW3wKHRElAaE4ChAWMAB6BAgBEAE&usg=AOvVaw2kDBY79mVey4_2-rQH6gHi

RB: Good this can come in our review recommendations

VP: Yes that is fine. But it should have new learning insights for those who knows and who does not know about it. For example- you can write a case report just simply stating the clinical presentation and some discussion and many readers can still learn from that. But that does not give new learning insights unless one highlights that. I have learned a lot from this article but most of it I could recall taking place typically in wards.

VP: Yes, the explanation can be given in different ways. Example of a case would be one of the ways

VP: I meant that why check list method is useful need more elaboration. I know it may be good but would like to know evidence that shows it really does. This will build confidence on following that recommendations
AKG: Think globally act locally.

Author wrote a good one to impact locally where its not going so good.
We added recommendation to let author do even better for same.
Agree that new knowledge should be there , but also as its *not a research* but an opinion or recommendation and useful (for those who don't have this good ward rounds and can't recall things), i am ok with even this being a good submission.

VP: I am not questioning their recommendations but want to know if that is really useful and few examples of such kind of rounds.

AKG: Any ideas or opinion or recommendation etc. Which is *new* but not tested, better to avoid when he is guiding all to do a common thing in a standard nicer way.

VP: You mean this opinion article can be accepted in its current form?

AKG: Yes very useful for my college.

VP: How? Explain

VP: Does that improve patient outcomes and compliance?

AKG: Yes. In my opinion. For improvement there is always scope left and upto authors and editors to balance that.

AKG: Not all colleges have ward rounds like you have there. Some are not doing so well.

VP: You are not getting my point.

AKG: Not all teachers even doing so well..some may wish to improve by following a structure which may help improve.

AKG: Explain, i will try.

VP: I am not reviewing based on what I have in my college or not.

AKG: Does that not improve patient outcomes and compliance where rounds are not done?
(Or done badly or occasionally)

VP: Please provide evidence. What you are talking generally make sense but when we are reviewing or evaluating the work of authors we need to see through the lens of evidence

AKG: Imagine how rounds are done in aiims and how done in kims,  ucms (mine), yours.

Gap may be there, this guides to do a better way where the gap is huge.

VP: Where?

VP: How do you know this opinion is particularly going to do better?

AKG: 1) author haven't added anything new
= but its not research, can be editorial or opinion or whatever, so editor will decide there.

2) its impact, i believe it helps to improve system where its not done well.
=To realize that you need to see / visit/ know where its not done well. Without such experience you may not be able to compare and appreciate how important such guidance can be to improve system in an instute for teachers, patients and students, all.

AKG: How do you know it won't?

Answer this and it will be very easy for me to explain correctly.

VP: I am not saying it wont. I am waiting for the evidence to believe whats the truth and I need authors to explain that.

AKG: Imagine the worst ward rounds you ever had.

Will this improve that?

AKG: Take it to bottom.

AKG: Experiential evidence.. so not shared any reference.

VP: Not sure unless I know particular the strategy helps and that I can understand if they substantiate that with evidence.

AKG: When this applied and tested at higher levels in the pyramid, it will give evidence of benefits if any or none.

Till that on this opinion i am giving my opinion. References in article support my opinion saying these inputs in article will help.

AKG: There are 16 ways and there may be many ways..all have pros and cons, better ways also possible, newer ways and research also possible.
I am supporting this article because i find it useful, with positive comments and recommendations for improvements. Rest on editor and author to update / revise/ accept.

VP: Avinash, my questions are just to help authors improve their paper. I have no issues with what they are writing. I may enjoy reading something and can agree with that. But I need to comment based on what the global readers would love to learn from them. SBAR is a new thing for me and many might know it well, few might know a little. So, the authors need to explain that so everyone reading can equally understand. You may not need to defend all my comments but a discussion for which one is most useful to authors for improving their paper.

AKG: Abstraction is also fine.

Means to explain to some depth and leave rest on readers depending on level of comprehension of expected readers, like in this case medical journal readers.
For specifically clarifying SBAR ,its fine if you recommend. In collective review we may differ and both can be inputs saying 1:1 for yes/no to explain the terms or any such issues.
1yes, 1no or 10yes 12 no and like this.

AKG: Yes we differ here in our review in basics, while both also trying to improve it.
What to do in this case? 😬 @8801733506870

MSS: I finished reading the paper.
I noticed that this is personal opinion of the authors how the ward rounds should be done. There is no experimental evidence in it. They have just told their opinion on the medical wards may this is what it is followed in their respective college/hospital. We really cannot measure impact from this paper.
The important point in this paper they have used many vague terms like checklists, but what are the checklists contain? Haven't stated any.

VP: We don't need evidence if medical ward rounds are helpful or not. But need  more information on specifics eg, check lists, pre round evaluation, sbar etc

MSS: This paper is not about experimenting which one is better. It just shows that they are conducting their ward rounds in this way.
In some places, I know the word boys and nurses allocate the bed (unlike here interns will be assigning them)

In that case there will be new methodology for it. So it would be extremely difficult to tell whether which one is more impactful or not.
This paper is more of just showing how ward should be conducted and at some places they have lacked clarity.

MSS: Like Checklist, what is structured and pre-structured review.

AKG: For Checklists.. surely yes. i added point for that.

MSS: An example of what happens when a patients admit to the ward could be a nice way to put in the paper with explaining each and every sub-heading in it.

AKG: 👍🏻

VP: Yes that is where I asked clarification and where possible to provide evidence of benefits. That is a different thing if there is a lack of it. It will just strengthen their opinion.

AKG: Single pt. Example While discussing a topic of ward rounds may create confusion by missing many important points.. so better if the structure only or detailed examples to not miss important aspects.

MSS: Why would they miss it. They will need to include a complex case with all the features if missed any they can explain in the scenario

AKG: I disagree this way.

AKG: When trying to help authors to bring out best from their idea and my suggestions

MSS: I feel that checklists should be more towards local care and the standardization should not be done. But love to see if there is a evidence based check list tool

VP: This is what I am trying to explain. Why should we do what it tells is to do.

AKG: So its just an opinion..very very low in the pyramid

AKG: There are not many so not practical suggestion.

MSS: 👍🏽. As a reader I feel reading that way would make me understand in a much better way. Like the one sir has shared about UDHC.

MSS: http://userdrivenhealthcare.blogspot.com/2015/06/use-case-scenarios-for-user-driven.html?m=1

AKG: Yes, so directly replying to disagree. Keeping my opinion honestly as i believe on studying this article. And eqully respect opinions of all here.
At the end there have to be a summary, and may be rather than saying +ve or -ve we may need to say, 5 agree while 5 disagree and like that.. or like 5 recommend for this suggestion while 3 said its fine.

While when editor writes or may be even the team leader/ reviewer (summary writer) in our discussion decides any one way when there are differences.
summary will be useful but also convo will be shared for exact details.
AKG: Seems fine?

MSS: I suggested that I would have enjoyed reading it like that. Now along with the other group members see who likes the idea or not. If not liked the ldea by most disagree and not mentioning in the revision points

AKG: Its upto editor to select or reject paper, and upto us to find faults and suggest improvements.

So this way i think for article.

MSS: U can also reject the paper by giving the solid points why do u think that this paper is not valuable for publication.

Then it's in the hands of the editors to follow or not.

VP: We also need to your review inputs around this short opinion paper.

BU: Firstly what is the definition  of Your MEDICAL  ward

BU: Corporate big hospitals Vs  Medical  College Vs JIPMER  Ward - the concept of the ward is different

BU: Where do u have pharmacists joining

BU: I guess u need to contrast the existing vs the ideal

BU: Involving  the patient varies at different  centres  and so does their relatives involvement

BU: Emergency ward round is different  from ICU Vs General Ward

BU: What is the exact time which should be given  ??

BU: Time given to each patient ????

RB: Very valuable inputs from Boudhayan. Vivek please incorporate these points into your review summary to the editor

Final recommended revisions for the authors which transpired from conversational review by the team:

1. In the section "conducting ward rounds"- the following acronym need more explanation "Using the ‘situation, background, assessment, recommendation’ (SBAR) structure, the team should discuss the clinical scenario"

2. "A structured approach to discharge is essential (e.g. a pre-discharge board round)."- what are the different structured approach and any specific elaborated examples for that.

3. Medications and outstanding issues should be carefully reviewed using a checklist method- what can be those checklist methods. These general phrases can be used with with specific elaborated examples.

4. Could also discuss the use of technology in the conduction of medical ward rounds.

5. Role of patient and carers should be more explained and emphasized.
6. This link provides the authors a guidelines of structured ward rounds. They should incorporate it and try to amend catering to the local needs.


7. A clinical complex case with a scenario can make this look better.
8. Definition of a Medical ward is missing and also no proper classification of the emergency ward vs ICU ward or others. 
  
9. Are the pharmacists joining in every medical ward rounds?  

10. Corporate big hospitals Vs  Medical  College Vs Premier institutions the concept of the ward is different so what are the authors referring to?

11. What impact will it have if we don't follow this opinion but adopt a different strategy? What other strategies exist for the clinical ward rounds?





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