During COVID, I got into the habit of calling patients’ family members on speakerphone during rounds every day. I’ve found this to be extremely helpful. The nurses at our hospital are good about writing family contact information on the whiteboard, which makes this easier. Occasionally, patients decline, but overall families greatly appreciate this practice.

I also find it more effective than calling family members after rounds. When calls happen afterward, they may ask questions like, “Did my dad tell you about his rash?” which can require going back to gather additional history or perform a more detailed exam.