scholarly journals Telemedicine Experience of General Surgery Trainees: Impact on Patient Care and Education

2021 ◽  
pp. 000313482110234
Author(s):  
Brandon J Nakashima ◽  
Navpreet Kaur ◽  
Chelsey Wongjirad ◽  
Kenji Inaba ◽  
Mohd Raashid Sheikh

Objective The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on patient care, including the increased utilization of contact-free clinic visits using telemedicine. We looked to assess current utilization of, experience with, and opinions regarding telemedicine by general surgery residents at an academic university–based surgical training program. Design A response-anonymous 19-question survey was electronically distributed to all general surgery residents at a single academic university–based general surgery residency program. Setting University of Southern California (USC) general surgery residency participants: Voluntarily participating general surgery residents at the University of Southern California. Results The response rate from USC general surgery residents was 100%. A majority of residents (76%) had utilized either video- or telephone-based visits during their careers. No resident had undergone formal training to provide telemedicine, although most residents indicated a desire for training (57.1%) and acknowledged that telemedicine should be a part of surgical training (75.6%). A wide variety of opinions regarding the educational experience of residents participating in telemedicine visits was elicited. Conclusions The COVID-19 pandemic brought telemedicine to the forefront as an integral part of future patient care, including for surgical patients. Additional investigations into nationwide telemedicine exposure and practice among United States general surgery residencies is imperative, and the impact of the implementation of telemedicine curricula on general surgery resident telemedicine utilization, comfort with telemedicine technology, and patient outcomes are further warranted. Competencies Practice-based learning, systems-based practice, interpersonal and communication skills

2018 ◽  
Vol 84 (11) ◽  
pp. 1723-1726 ◽  
Author(s):  
Michael P. Dewane ◽  
Daniel C. Thomas ◽  
Walter E. Longo ◽  
Peter S. Yoo

The pursuit of dedicated research time during surgical residency prolongs training and delays entry into practice. Currently, there is a lack of research quantifying the financial implication of this delay and trainees’ understanding of its impact on career earnings. An opportunity cost analysis was performed regarding the impact of delay due to training within general surgery and selected subspecialties. An anonymous survey was distributed to general surgery categorical junior trainees in 2017 at a large academic hospital in the Northeast to determine understanding and beliefs regarding dedicated training on career earnings. For all specialties analyzed, dedicated research time was shown to negatively affect career earnings. The net cost was highest among those intending to pursue cardiothoracic surgery and lowest for those intending to pursue surgical oncology. A total of 26 of 35 (74%) present research residents and clinical residents intending to perform dedicated research time responded to an anonymous survey. On average, survey respondents underestimated the impact of dedicated research time on career earnings by $1.4 million. Dedicated research time during general surgery residency carries a substantial opportunity cost to overall career earnings. General surgery residents lack understanding of both the direction and the magnitude of this opportunity cost.


2021 ◽  
Vol 65 ◽  
pp. 102285
Author(s):  
Maxwell F. Kilcoyne ◽  
Garrett N. Coyan ◽  
Edgar Aranda-Michel ◽  
Arman Kilic ◽  
Victor O. Morell ◽  
...  

2021 ◽  
pp. 000313482110604
Author(s):  
James Shell Cox ◽  
Chase J. Wehrle ◽  
Christopher Mejias ◽  
Aditya K. Devarakonda ◽  
Jonathan Andrew McKenzie ◽  
...  

Background The COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted traditional resident recruitment practices, requiring virtual interviews and new forms of outreach. Social media, such as Twitter, is one tool programs can use to connect with applicants. This study sought to assess changes in Twitter use during the COVID-19 pandemic among general surgery programs. Methods Twitter and residency program websites were queried for public Twitter accounts related to general surgery residency programs. Publicly available tweets for available accounts were reviewed for all posts for the period March 15, 2019-November 25, 2020. Thematic analysis of each tweet was performed, and engagement was determined by likes and retweets on each tweet. Results The number of programs with active Twitter accounts increased after the onset of COVID-19 pandemic, as did the number of tweets, likes-, and retweets-per-tweet. There was a significant increase in the number of tweets regarding resident promotion, program promotion, and virtual event promotion. Tweets received more likes-per-tweet if the subject was program promotion and resident promotion than tweets regarding virtual events. All results were statistically significant ( P < .05). Discussion Twitter use and engagement with residency programs have increased significantly since pandemic onset. Engagement is highest for tweets regarding program and resident promotion as measured by likes-per-tweet and highest for program promotion and virtual events as measured by retweets-per-tweet. Given the nearly nationwide increase in Twitter engagement after pandemic onset, programs should consider the impact of Twitter as a means of communication with applicants and program branding.


2020 ◽  
Vol 86 (1) ◽  
pp. 10-13
Author(s):  
Robert J. Conrad ◽  
Benjamin C. Clark ◽  
Dylan M. Russell ◽  
John S. Mayo ◽  
Fadi M. Balla ◽  
...  

2020 ◽  
Vol 65 (4) ◽  
pp. 133-137 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khurram Shahzad Khan ◽  
Rona Keay ◽  
Morag McLellan ◽  
Sajid Mahmud

Background and aims COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruption in training which is even more pronounced in the surgical specialties. We aim to assess the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on core surgical training. Methods All core surgical and improving surgical trainees in West of Scotland region were invited to participate in an online voluntary anonymous survey via SurveyMonkey. Results 28 of 44 (63.6%) trainees responded, 15 (53.6%) were CT1/ST1. 14 (50.0%) working in teaching hospital and 15 (53.6%) working in general surgery. 20 (71.4%) felt that due to the pandemic they have less opportunity to operate as the primary surgeon. 21 (75.0%) have not attended any outpatient clinics. 8 (28.6%) did not have any form of access to the laparoscopic box-trainer. 20 (71.4%) felt their level of confidence in preforming surgical skills has been negatively impacted. 18 (64.3%) found it difficult to demonstrate progress in portfolio. 21 (75.0%) trainees have not attended any teaching. 10 (35.7%) trainees have been off-sick. 8 (28.6%) trainees have felt slightly or significantly more stressed. Conclusion COVID-19 pandemic has an unprecedented negative impact on all aspects of core surgical training. The long term impact on the current cohort of trainees is yet to be seen.


2020 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. e000552 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kovi E Bessoff ◽  
Jeff Choi ◽  
Sylvia Bereknyei Merrell ◽  
Aussama Khalaf Nassar ◽  
David Spain ◽  
...  

ObjectiveEmergency general surgery (EGS) conditions encompass a variety of diseases treated by acute care surgeons. The heterogeneity of these diseases limits infrastructure to facilitate EGS-specific quality improvement (QI) and research. A uniform anatomic severity grading system for EGS conditions was recently developed to fill this need. We integrated this system into our clinical workflow and examined its impact on research, surgical training, communication, and patient care.MethodsThe grading system was integrated into our clinical workflow in a phased fashion through formal education and a written handbook. A documentation template was also deployed in our electronic medical record to prospectively assign severity scores at the time of patient evaluation. Mixed methods including a quantitative survey and qualitative interviews of trainees and attending surgeons were used to evaluate the impact of the new workflow and to identify obstacles to its adoption.ResultsWe identified 2291 patients presenting with EGS conditions during our study period. The most common diagnoses were small bowel obstruction (n=470, 20.5%), acute cholecystitis (n=384, 16.8%), and appendicitis (n=370, 16.1%). A total of 21 qualitative interviews were conducted. Twenty interviewees (95.2%) had a positive impression of the clinical workflow, citing enhanced patient care and research opportunities. Fifteen interviewees (75.0%) reported the severity grading system was a useful framework for clinical management, with five participants (25.0%) indicating the system was useful to facilitate clinical communication. Participants identified solutions to overcome barriers to adoption of the clinical workflow.ConclusionsThe uniform anatomic severity grading system can be readily integrated into a clinical workflow to facilitate prospective data collection for QI and research. The system is perceived as valuable by users. Educational initiatives that focus on increasing familiarity with the system and its benefits will likely improve adoption of the classification system and the clinical workflow that uses it.Level of evidenceLevel III.


2020 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 6-8
Author(s):  
Alex Ammar

Introduction. The purpose of this study was to determine whether the in-hospital stroke rate plus deaths (SD) was adversely impacted by the participation of surgery residents during carotid endarterectomy. Methods. A single board-certified vascular surgeon performed 5,663 carotid endarterectomies (CEAs) from September 1982 through December 2016. The surgeon prospectively recorded the data used in this report during the patient’s hospital stay. These cases were done at five hospitals, three of which had general surgery residents participating in procedures and two that did not. Results. Of the 5,663 CEAs, residents participated at three hospitals in 4,974 CEAs. In the two hospitals that did not have surgery residents participating, 689 CEAs were performed. Fifty-seven strokes and 12 deaths occurred in hospitals with resident participation (SD 1.39%). Six strokes (0.9%) and no deaths occurred in hospitals without resident participation. No significant difference in stroke rate, death rate, or combined stroke plus death rate (SD) were identified in comparing hospitals with or without resident participation. Conclusion. This report corroborates others that senior general surgery residents did not have a significant impact on SD in patients undergoing CEA.


2019 ◽  
Vol 101 (1) ◽  
pp. 32-33
Author(s):  
Ashley Davis-Marin

The winners of our surgical care team photo competition, Royal Derby General Surgery team, tell us how they have embraced the wider team to improve surgical training and advance patient care.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document