INTERNAL MEDICINE
POLICIES & PROCEDURES

Internal Medicine Policy for Patient Safety
and Resident Well-being
 Policy Number : 21
Date Issued : 01/2003
Prior Revision Date :
  Date Revised :
PURPOSE To insure an environment that will promote patient safety for those patients cared for by the Internal Medicine Residents. Our purpose is to maintain an environment for the residents that promote educational excellence, and safe evidence-based patient care.
SCOPE Applies to all interns and residents (hereafter all will be referred to as trainees) in the Internal Medicine training program on the Presbyterian Hospital of Dallas campus.
PROVISIONS

Compliance with the Resident Duty Hours as determined by ACGME (see Duty Hour Policy.)  Monitoring of such compliance via monthly resident meetings and the Resident Council.

Compliance with the requirements of an environment conducive to efficient, effective patient care (see GME Environment Policy) Monitoring of such compliance through the monthly resident meetings and the Residents Council.

Residents are instructed on Quality Management and Patient Safety at orientation and with teaching conferences throughout the academic year.

The documentation of moonlighting activities and the monitoring of its impact on the residents’ performance through morning report, attending evaluations, conference attendance, peer evaluations.  This will be reviewed at the quarterly CECC.

Support for the residents physical and emotional well-being by adhering to the above as well as:

  • Residents may turn down an admission if they are unable to give that patient the care that would be required because of their current patient responsibilities.
  • Full compliance with 1/7 days off.
  • Discounted membership to the Cardiovascular Fitness Center affiliated with the hospital

Monitoring of residents’ emotional status through

  • Monthly house staff meetings
  • The residents council
  • Mentoring relationships with key faculty

Established “Emergency Coverage” policy which provides a process by which a resident can call another resident to come in and cover for him/her if for any physical or emotional reason the resident in unable to perform his/her duties.

  • Residents may express emotional or physical needs to their representatives on the Residents’ Council.  The council will work to correct job related stressors contributing to the residents needs.  The Council meets monthly.  This would allow for resident anonymity if needed.
  • Open door policy for residents to speak with the Chairman, Associate Program Director regarding their needs.
  • Close supervision of the residents by the attending physicians as well as the faculty for signs of fatigue, burnout, or emotional or physical problems.
  • Counseling services are available to the house staff through the Human Resource Department of the institution.
 
MARK FELDMAN, M.D.
Chairman, Internal Medicine
Program Director, Internal Medicine
BRUCE BOUGENO
Vice President, Medical Staff Affairs