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Review
. 2025 Feb 1;6(1):23-30.
doi: 10.36518/2689-0216.1865. eCollection 2025.

A New Paradigm in Hospital Medicine: Evaluating the Effects of Geographical Cohorting on Health Care Delivery

Vasu Gupta  1 , Bhupinder Singh  2 , Kanishk Aggarwal  3 , Ayushi Garg  4 , Rhea Kanwar  5 , Fnu Anamika  2 , Inder Preet Kaur  6 , Rohit Jain  7
Affiliations
Review

A New Paradigm in Hospital Medicine: Evaluating the Effects of Geographical Cohorting on Health Care Delivery

Vasu Gupta et al. HCA Healthc J Med. .

Abstract

Background: Geographical cohorting in hospital settings represents a significant shift from traditional patient rounding practices and aims to enhance the efficiency of health care delivery. This model assigns hospitalists to a particular inpatient unit, where most of their patients are located. While this model has several benefits, including streamlining health care procedures, optimizing resource allocation, and fostering better provider communication, its implementation is not without its challenges.

Methods: Our methodology for researching geographical cohorting involved a comprehensive literature review of peer-reviewed studies, surveys, and retrospective analyses. We utilized academic databases, such as PubMed, JSTOR, and Google Scholar, to identify relevant articles. Keywords used in the search included "geographic cohorting," "geographic rounding," "hospitalist," "patient outcomes," "provider satisfaction," and "hospital-acquired infections."

Conclusion: Geographical rounding has been associated with a reduction in the incidence of hospital-acquired infections and other adverse outcomes, suggesting its potential to create a safer patient care environment. However, problems such as increased interruptions, indirect care time, and the possibility of diminished interpersonal communication highlight the intricacy involved in successfully implementing such a model. The adoption of geographical cohorting is further complicated by operational problems, such as the necessity for major operational expenditure and patient flow management. Notwithstanding these difficulties, research has shown mixed results regarding geographic cohorting, with some studies suggesting potential advantages, such as enhanced interdisciplinary collaboration and a decline in provider burnout. However, its impact on patient outcomes, like in-patient stay and satisfaction, is inconsistent.

Keywords: geographic cohort; geographic rounding; hospital units; hospitalists; interprofessional relations; patient care team; patient satisfaction; physicians; provider burnout.

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Conflict of interest statement

Conflicts of Interest: The authors declare they have no conflicts of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Stakeholder involvement is required for the successful implementation of geographical rounding.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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