Need your child’s doctor’s schedule? There’s an app for that at M Health Fairview

Michael Pitt, M.D., a pediatric hospitalist at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital, noticed a consistent issue with families being unaware of their providers' rounding schedules at the facility, causing them to miss critical visits. He has since created a solution — a mobile application that sends real-time notifications to patients’ families on when their doctors are making their rounds, creating opportunities for those families to see them. Dr. Pitt created the app, called Q-rounds, along with partners John Sartori, Ph.D, an associate professor in electrical and computer engineering at the University of Minnesota, and Chelsea Klevesahl, a brand and marketing strategist. The app was successfully piloted in 2023 within the hospital’s neonatal intensive care unit, nearly tripling family presence and engagement during rounds.

“The whole point of rounds is to talk about your child’s health and care,” said Shacreya Lee, who has had two children in the hospital's NICU. “You don’t want to miss that or have to choose between work or being present to talk with the doctor.” Families also have the option of joining rounds virtually if they can't in person. Since last year's launch, more than 1,000 families have participated in virtual rounds.

“Being present at rounds should be a right, not a privilege, for families,” said Pitt. “We want to ensure families know when we are rounding so that they can participate in the most important discussion of the day on their child’s health and care." Following the app’s initial success, Masonic Children’s Hospital is expanding its use to other units within the facility.