Inpatient CDS not rounding

ekconley@gundersenhealth.orgekconley@gundersenhealth.org
edited June 2020 in CDI Management
As we all know, COVID-19 has put a lot of departments in new situations.  I'm the manager of both Inpatient and Ambulatory CDI teams.  Prior to the COVID-19 outbreak, my inpatient staff's requirements were to round twice a week and then were allowed 2 work from home days, remainder of the time in office.  Since COVID19, the team is 100% work from home and rounding has been suspended.  I'm looking for information from fellow CDI that either never implemented rounding or has discontinued it and don't plan on re-implementing as a job requirement.  Our facility is in the beginning talks of seeing what departments can remain full time work from home.  Right now, the main reason our inpatient CDI would need to be in the office is to round, however I'm wondering for any CDI that do not round, have you felt your program is still successful and receive good clinician participation? In situations that you would have normally gone and given feedback face to face, what are you doing now to keep that connection and make sure information is shared and received?  I feel rounding is very valuable however with the times changing, I'm wondering if this truly is needed as things are moving more towards virtual/electronic.  Any comments, information, thoughts are welcome! 
Thanks!
Em

Comments

  • afloyd24afloyd24
    We implemented our program in 2009 and were on the floor with the providers 100% of the time at that point.  When we went live with our EMR in 2015, we pulled back to the office and worked from there.  We would interact with the providers when we had education or questions face to face on an as needed basis.  We have never "made rounds" with them. Since the pandemic started, we have been 100% remote and as the director, I have handled any issues that have come up that needed face to face intervention which is none (so far).  We historically have a 98 - 100% response rate and have always been blessed with buy in and active participation from the providers. This had not altered with the change. I have noticed an increased review rate, query rate, and overall morale picker upper with the remote status.  I'm not sure if our facility will allow our team to stay remote afterwards or not but I hope they will consider it.  The main question I would ask is how their performance has changed? To the good? Or bad?  Have the providers altered their response to queries?  Needed increased attention from CDI?   My team has been remote long enough to consider it a good indication of overall long-term performance.  

    Thanks and good question!  Times are changing for sure.  
    April
  • vparent@emhs.orgvparent@emhs.org
    Prior to Covid, our team was 50% at home/remote and 50% in office. We are a mature program and many of the staff have worked at the bedside with many of the providers. We were mainly in office due to administration's desire to have us available to the providers in case they had questions. We rarely have a provider come with questions. We have actually found our providers prefer the electronic communication as it does not interfere with their routine of actually caring for patients. We are currently working on more intensive physician communication via skype due to case management and administration's insistence. We will see how this will be accepted by the providers. We are hoping to stay remote as time moves on as our productivity has not changed, if anything, it has actually improved. If questions do arise, we are readily accessible by phone or IM/email. We round with case management via skype on the inpatient units.
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