Improving Information Adequacy of Clinical Morning Reports; Development of a Structured Model in the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department

Aims: Nowadays, the importance of morning reports for discussing clinical cases and making the best informed decision for a therapeutic process is undeniable. Therefore, this study aimed to improve clinical morning reports information adequacy by developing a structured reporting model. Participants Methods: This qualitative research was conducted in three phases at the Obstetrics and Gynecology Department of three educational hospitals in northeastern Iran in 2018. After investigating the current status of MR sessions, the content of 120 reports was included and extracted. The items were assigned subject groups for primary structuring while their validation was getting confirmation using a tworound Delphi technique involving ten specialists. Then, the structured model of clinical MRs was developed in two formats: structured paper-based form and structured electronic format. The final evaluation was conducted comparing three practices of structured paperbased, structured electronic format, and conventional formats. Excel 2010 software was used for the analysis of the results. Findings: All studied MR samples were found unstructured in content. From 120 collected samples, 58 items were extracted and categorized into four categories. During the first Delphi round, all existing information was preserved with varying weights. Nevertheless, the participating experts also suggested six additional items to be included. In the second round, 11 items with the lowest scores were removed. Results of the comparative evaluation showed that the SPF format scored highest on the preference of use, ease of archiving and retrieval, application in future research, and ease of reporting. The SEF format scored highest on the clear understanding of patient status and readability. Conclusion: Using a standardized structured morning report based on the preference of local experts improves the quality of morning reports in various matters, including efficiency, adequacy, and ease.