Inpatient Rounding Practices in Otolaryngology Residency Programs

: Inpatient rounding is an agelong tradition in the field of medicine. Among recent changes in health care, rounding is understudied as an area of research. The purpose of this study was to assess current methods of inpatient rounding in otolaryngology residency programs and assess satisfaction with current practices. Survey questions were designed by members of the resident committee of the Society of University Otolaryngologists. Surveys were sent to all 450 members, and we obtained a 32% response rate. Sixty-four percent of attendings perform bedside rounds; 44% of subjects reported that attending physicians participate in rounds at least once a week; and 21% reported daily participation. When asked if attending participation in rounding is adequate, attendings did not have a strong opinion (mean = 3.8). There is a paucity of research on inpatient rounding, and future studies should examine specific practices with the goal of maximizing patient safety and resident education.