Schwartz Center Rounds

"Getting to the heart of patient care"

The University of Mississippi Medical Center is pleased to be part of the national Schwartz Center Rounds, the only site in Mississippi. Today there are over 200 Schwartz Center Rounds sites in 31 states and the United Kingdom.

Background

Ken Schwartz, a health care attorney, founded the Kenneth B. Schwartz Center at Massachusetts General Hospital shortly before his death of lung cancer in 1995. The center is dedicated to strengthening the relationship between patients and caregivers. During his illness, Schwartz understood first-hand the vital importance of compassion in today's changing health care environment and the urgent need to promote meaningful relationships between patients and caregivers. Following his death, friends, family and caregivers continued to develop and promote Kenneth Schwartz's vision nationwide through the organization.

"I have been touched by the smallest gestures - a squeeze of the hand, a gentle touch, a reassuring word. In some ways these acts of humanity have felt more healing than the high-dose radiation and chemotherapy that hold the hope of a cure." - Kenneth Schwartz

Mission

To support and advance health care in which caregivers, patients and their families relate to one another in a way that provides hope to the patient, support to caregivers and sustenance to the healing process.

Purpose

• To provide a forum and “level playing field” where caregivers from diverse disciplines discuss difficult emotional and social issues that arise in caring for patients;
• To explore the human and emotional side of clinical medicine - but with the focus on the patient-caregiver relationship rather than the patient.

Goals

• Improving communication
• Promoting compassion and empathy
• Improving cultural competency
• Improving spiritual care
• Enhancing compassionate end-of-life care
• Influencing caregiver training and creating best practice models
• Empowering patients

Format

Using a unique format developed by the Schwartz Center; the Rounds create an interactive, facilitated forum where healthcare professionals from all disciplines come together on a regular basis to openly and honestly talk about difficult, emotional and social issues that arise in caring for patients.

A case is presented by a panel of health care professionals representing multidisciplines and points of view. A facilitator then engages the audience in an interactive discussion about the case and participants' shared experiences.

Benefits for health care providers

• Improved teamwork and communication among all types of caregivers
• Compassionate, higher quality care
• Increased staff satisfaction and pride in the workplace

Benefits for patients

• Compassionate connections lead to better care for patients.
• Patients of clinicians who practice with a high degree of compassion and empathy are more forthcoming about their symptoms and concerns.
• Effective communication between caregivers and patients has been linked to increased compliance with recommended treatments, improved health outcomes, enhanced patient satisfaction and reduced malpractice claims.

Benefits for participating hospitals

• New methods and strategies that can be broadly applied within the institution
• Patient-centered changes in practices or policies within departments or hospital
• Improving end-of-life care, including greater use of palliative care teams
• Creating a support group for clinicians involved in medical errors
• Personalizing nursing care for ICU patients with a poor prognosis

Health care providers' active participation

Health care professionals are encouraged to get involved by attending and making suggestions for pertinent cases. Contact Cheryl Stingily with any questions regarding Schwartz Center Rounds.

Schedule of dates

One-hour UMMC Schwartz Center Rounds are held throughout the year and announced through the UMMC Master event calendar. Due to COVID-19 there is currently no routine schedule, and the intent is to work toward hosting six sessions a year (approximately every other month) again in 2022.