Ward rounds are a highly important forum for collaborative medical reasoning. Despite being prevalent for over a century, they are under-researched. In particular, no clear and comprehensive statement of the purpose of ward rounds exists in the literature. This letter provides such a statement. Having the purpose of ward rounds clearly described helps to provide a foundation for evaluating the effectiveness of rounds and suggesting ways in which rounds can be improved.
Keywords: Collaboration; Medical reasoning; Teamwork; Ward rounds.