ABSTRACT
Introduction
Variation in practice among resident physicians is a barrier to providing consistent, high-quality care to patients with musculoskeletal injuries.
Materials and methods
A multidisciplinary group at an academic center developed a checklist for managing suspected extremity injuries in adults. Simulation testing was conducted in which 17 Emergency Medicine residents were randomized by year of training into cohorts of 8 “checklist” residents and 9 “no checklist” residents. Each resident performed 2 case simulations and was evaluated based on adherence to 12 predefined critical process measures.
Results
Usage of the checklist resulted in a decrease in delay of care events (8.3 vs 27.3%, p < 0.01) and decrease in potential medical errors (5.7 vs 22.2%, p < 0.01). All levels of training demonstrated improvements, and first-year residents using the checklist performed significantly better than third-year residents without the checklist, demonstrating decrease in delay of care events (8.3 vs 26.4%, p < 0.05) and decrease in potential medical errors (5.6 vs 18.1%, p < 0.05).
Conclusion
Implementation of a simple checklist can reduce delays in care and potential medical errors in the management of extremity injuries by resident physicians.
Hamid KS, Nwachukwu BU, Nicks BA, Dutta S, Carroll EA. Management of Extremity Injuries by Residents: Can We improve Quality and Efficiency through a Simple Checklist? The Duke Orthop J 2016;6(1):7-11.
IRB statement
This simulation was undertaken as part of an institutional quality improvement project and was granted Institutional Review Board exemption.
Program Access, Depressive Symptoms, and Medical Errors Among Resident Physicians With Disability
