MedicalResearch.com Interview with: John Falconer MD FRCPC Neurologist, Kelowna General Hospital; Clinical Associate Professor of Neurology, University of British Columbia Medical Research: What are the main findings of this study? Dr. Falconer: This study set out to investigate the possible benefits of having a physician with a proprietorial interest (Pro-MD) in a stroke unit, tightly combined with a multidisciplinary inter-professional team, and including the family and the patient in as essential members for the management of a stroke patient. This also involved the introduction of a geographic located Acute Stroke Unit. We compared Acute Bed Days used by patients from the five months before to five months after this system was put in place. Our main end point was number of days in acute hospital care before and after, but we also informally tracked patient and caregiver satisfaction and staff morale. The Proprietary Physician, or Pro-M Drefers to a physician who has a “proprietorial” interest in a hospital unit or ward. In other words, I was working at this unit in a wholistic sense, trying not only to manage patients as best they can, but also interested in the patient flow and family-patient communications. We found that patient bed days were reduced by approximately 25% overall, while at the same time, patient and family satisfaction was improved, and staff morale increased. Initially, we had supposed that patients and their family would be more satisfied, but we were surprised at the reduction in Acute Bed Days that resulted. (more…)