Rounding is a core part of the culture at West Orange, N.J.-based RWJBarnabas Health — and a key driver behind its real-time approach to improving the patient experience.
In 2023, the health system rolled out a nurse leader rounding initiative across its 12 hospitals. Each day, the leader of every nursing unit — typically a nursing director — rounds on patients to ask open-ended questions, identify any concerns and coordinate with care team members to promptly address issues.
“If they’re able to spot an issue and take care of it, that makes a huge difference for patients and their families,” said Andy Anderson, MD, chief medical and quality officer at RWJBarnabas Health.
In early 2024, RWJBarnabas built on its approach with a senior leadership rounding program. The effort started at the system’s flagship hospital and has since expanded systemwide. Each week, 10 to 15 senior hospital leaders — including members of the C-suite — split into small teams and visit different units, aiming to hear directly from patients and staff.
“Most senior leaders in the hospital go to the floors and meet with the staff, but they also go and talk to individual patients, just to hear what’s happening and to help problem solve,” Dr. Andy Anderson said.
To support both initiatives, the system uses a digital rounding tool accessible via iPad or phone during rounds. The platform captures and tracks patient feedback systemwide, helping leaders identify broader trends and opportunities for improvement.
Both rounding programs are embedded into the system’s formal goals and allow RWJBarnabas to address patient concerns as they happen, rather than relying solely on retrospective feedback through HCAHPS surveys.
“We’re paying attention to patients in real-time, more than we ever did before,” Dr. Anderson said, noting the efforts have contributed to improved HCAHPS scores.
“Rounding is a very powerful part of our culture,” he added. “It takes us to the bedside. It helps us problem solve in real time, so that patients feel that we are addressing their issues as quickly as possible.”
