Schwartz Rounds: Helping Professionals Care for Patients and Each Other

The Schwartz Rounds^® program offers healthcare providers a regularly scheduled time during their fast-paced work lives to openly and honestly discuss the social and emotional issues they face in caring for patients and families. In contrast to traditional medical rounds, the focus is on the human dimension of medicine. Caregivers have an opportunity to share their experiences, thoughts and feelings on thought provoking topics drawn from actual patient cases. The premise is that caregivers are better able to make personal connections with patients and colleagues when they have greater insight into their own responses and feelings. In this presentation, Dr. Christine Bishop will give an overview of the value of Schwartz Rounds at WFBMC, and will conduct an abridged Schwartz Round with a facilitator and three invited guests on the topic “Are we sending patients home to fail?”. Like all Schwartz Rounds, lunch will be provided on a first come, first serve basis.

Objectives

• Summarize the history and structure of Schwartz Rounds
• Illustrate the effectiveness of Schwartz Rounds in addressing psychosocial and emotional aspects of caring for patients
• Explain an abridged version of a Schwartz Rounds