Family-Centered Care Grand Rounds

For doctors and nurses at Children’s Hospital and elsewhere, the term "grand rounds" means a presentation by an expert in one field of medicine who shares knowledge with clinicians so they are up to date on the latest developments.

CHOP has applied that traditional teaching method to family-centered care, becoming the first children’s hospital to do so. While many of our doctors, nurses and therapists are already skilled at partnering with patients and families, the Family-Centered Care (FCC) Grand Rounds offer an opportunity to hone skills and learn new techniques to better include families in decision-making and the care of their children.

The FCC Grand Rounds are one more example of CHOP’s commitment to integrating family-centered care in every interaction with families as we strive to fulfill the Promise of Partnership.

Benefits of FCC Grand Rounds

The first year of FCC Grand Rounds focused on welcoming parents and guardians to participate in daily medical rounds, when the medical team on an impatient unit goes from patient to patient to discuss each child’s progress and set that day’s treatment. The Grand Rounds gave ideas on how to encourage family members to alert the medical team when they see changes in their child’s condition and speak up if they have a safety concern.

In 2012, the three FCC Grand Rounds zeroed in on better defining what family-centered care is — and what it is not. For example, it is taking a family’s home life into consideration when planning for discharge; but it is not allowing the parents to dictate a treatment plan (which may not be best for their child).

Chris Feudtner, MD, PhD, MPH, director of the Department of Medical Ethics and a member of the Pediatric Advanced Care Team, will lead this year’s first Grand Rounds. "Partnering well with families requires clear, open and honest communication about experiences and expectation, about thoughts and feelings, regarding their child’s condition and care," says Feudtner. "The FCC Grand Rounds gives us an opportunity to build skills that help us talk about not just the things we agree about, but also how to discuss our disagreements and work towards agreement."

Other rounds will focus on setting expectations for both the care team and family members, and learning ways to improve communication between care providers and family members. Each session will feature a panel that includes a physician, nurse, social worker, child life specialist and family member.