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Home Research Research Library Inpatient Hand-Offs in Family Medicine Residency Programs: A CERA Study Inpatient Hand-Offs in Family Medicine Residency Programs: A CERA Study 2015 Author(s) Edwards, D S, Burge, Sandra K, Young, Richard A, Peterson, Lars E, and Babb, F C Topic(s) Education & Training Keyword(s) Graduate Medical Education Volume Family Medicine Source Family Medicine BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Miscommunication during patient hand-off in the inpatient setting can lead to serious medical errors. Previous studies indicate heterogeneity in handoff practices among physicians in training. We sought to determine current practice patterns of patient hand-offs in family medicine residencies and training methods to reinforce effective transfer of care. METHODS: We developed 13 questions relating to patient hand-offs that were included in the Spring 2014 CERA Family Medicine Program Directors Survey. Descriptive statistics were generated for each survey item. RESULTS: We received 224 survey responses (response rate of 50%). The typical inpatient was subject to an average of seven transfers of care from a Thursday morning to a Monday morning. Use of two strategies consistent with best practices (face-to-face hand-off, use of a dedicated area) was very high. There was wide variation in training methods for patient transfer and infrequent use of national resources. Half of all residency programs relied on supervision as the primary method of instruction in patient hand-off. Estimated patient safety events in the last year attributed to a breakdown in hand-off procedure occurred “rarely/never” in 73% of programs. CONCLUSIONS: The vast majority of family medicine residencies use at least two of three best practices in patient hand-offs, though there was wider variation in the processes of hand-offs. Frequent hand-offs associated with a night float system is a potential cause of increased errors, though we were unable to measure actual patient safety events. ABFM Research Read all 2017 Increased Public Accountability for Hospital Nonprofit Status: Potential Impacts on Residency Positions Go to Increased Public Accountability for Hospital Nonprofit Status: Potential Impacts on Residency Positions 2021 Milestones in Family Medicine: Lessons for the Specialty Go to Milestones in Family Medicine: Lessons for the Specialty 2014 Spending patterns in region of residency training and subsequent expenditures for care provided by practicing physicians for Medicare beneficiaries Go to Spending patterns in region of residency training and subsequent expenditures for care provided by practicing physicians for Medicare beneficiaries 2019 A Longitudinal Study of Differences in Canadian and US Medical Student Preparation for Family Medicine Go to A Longitudinal Study of Differences in Canadian and US Medical Student Preparation for Family Medicine
Author(s) Edwards, D S, Burge, Sandra K, Young, Richard A, Peterson, Lars E, and Babb, F C Topic(s) Education & Training Keyword(s) Graduate Medical Education Volume Family Medicine Source Family Medicine
ABFM Research Read all 2017 Increased Public Accountability for Hospital Nonprofit Status: Potential Impacts on Residency Positions Go to Increased Public Accountability for Hospital Nonprofit Status: Potential Impacts on Residency Positions 2021 Milestones in Family Medicine: Lessons for the Specialty Go to Milestones in Family Medicine: Lessons for the Specialty 2014 Spending patterns in region of residency training and subsequent expenditures for care provided by practicing physicians for Medicare beneficiaries Go to Spending patterns in region of residency training and subsequent expenditures for care provided by practicing physicians for Medicare beneficiaries 2019 A Longitudinal Study of Differences in Canadian and US Medical Student Preparation for Family Medicine Go to A Longitudinal Study of Differences in Canadian and US Medical Student Preparation for Family Medicine
2017 Increased Public Accountability for Hospital Nonprofit Status: Potential Impacts on Residency Positions Go to Increased Public Accountability for Hospital Nonprofit Status: Potential Impacts on Residency Positions
2021 Milestones in Family Medicine: Lessons for the Specialty Go to Milestones in Family Medicine: Lessons for the Specialty
2014 Spending patterns in region of residency training and subsequent expenditures for care provided by practicing physicians for Medicare beneficiaries Go to Spending patterns in region of residency training and subsequent expenditures for care provided by practicing physicians for Medicare beneficiaries
2019 A Longitudinal Study of Differences in Canadian and US Medical Student Preparation for Family Medicine Go to A Longitudinal Study of Differences in Canadian and US Medical Student Preparation for Family Medicine