Feedback to achieve improved sign-out technique. Am J Med Qual 2015;30(4):353-8
Date
06/01/2014Pubmed ID
24878514DOI
10.1177/1062860614535237Scopus ID
2-s2.0-84936768674 (requires institutional sign-in at Scopus site) 7 CitationsAbstract
To maximize the quality of sign-out documents within the internal medicine residency, a quality improvement intervention was developed and implemented. Written sign-outs were collected from general medicine ward teams and graded using an 11-point checklist; in-person feedback was then given directly to the ward teams. Documentation of many of the 11 elements improved: mental status (22% to 66%, P < .0001), decisionality (40% to 66%, P < .0001), lab/test results (63% to 69%, P < .0001), level of acuity (34% to 50%, P < .0001), anticipatory guidance (69% to 82%, P < .0001), and future plans (35% to 38%, P < .0005). The use of vague language declined (41% to 26%, P < .0001). The mean total scores improved from 7.0 to 8.2 out of a possible 11 (P < .0001). As new house staff rotated onto the services, improvement over time was sustained with 1 feedback session per team, per month. Similar interventions could be made in other programs and other institutions.
Author List
Doers ME, Beniwal-Patel P, Kuester J, Fletcher KEAuthors
Poonam Beniwal-Patel MD Associate Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of WisconsinKathlyn E. Fletcher MD Professor in the Medicine department at Medical College of Wisconsin
MESH terms used to index this publication - Major topics in bold
ChecklistContinuity of Patient Care
Feedback
Hospitals, General
Humans
Patient Handoff
Patient Safety
Prospective Studies
Quality Improvement
