Background: Teaching Hospitalists provide a large proportion of clinical medical education for Internal Medicine Residents with varying levels of training and success. We sought to identify common habits of highly rated teaching hospitalists in preparation of faculty development.
Methods: We surveyed high performing daytime teaching hospitalists at 3 teaching sites across 2 health systems. Paper and pencil questionnaires were administered to identify common habits of highly rated teaching hospitalists in a variety of areas including bedside teaching, formal teaching, and feedback and communication.
Results: 27 surveys were completed by teaching hospitalists. All hospitalists surveyed were rated above the teaching faculty average, based on resident evaluation of faculty. Surveys asked participants to self report on behaviors they exhibit while on service. 85% (23/27) hospitalists reported bedside rounding on 50% or fewer of patients on their service, but 100% bedside round on selected patients. Most responders choose which patients to round on based on severity of illness, interesting cases, and patients being discharged. 70% of responders bring articles to discuss on rounds one to two times per week. 66% of responders assign topic to residents/students to discuss on rounds one to two times per week. 70% of responders stay and see all new admissions with their team. 96% of responders give their cell phone to their team to facilitate communication. 93% of responders give feedback more than once per rotation. 100% of responders rarely (25%) or never (0%) have rounds extend into formal teaching sessions. 85% of responders always verbally touch base with their team at the end of the day. 63% of responders always set expectations with their learners.
Conclusions: Highly rated teaching faculty exhibit a range of habits when on service, but most common habits noted on survey included: 1) Proactive selection of patients with maximum teaching value for rounds, 2) Begin with the End: Expectations and goals were frequently set, 3) Put Things First: time management with target conclusion time of rounding, 4) Think Win-Win: prioritized education by assigning topics and discussion of current literature on rounds 5) Seek First to Understand: verbally touch base with the team to answer questions and explain changes, 6) Synergize: created communication loop and encouraged team communication even after rounds, 7) Sharpen the Saw: provided frequent debrief and feedback.
Possible future directions include comparing self-reported behaviors with resident evaluations of behaviors, as well as integration into faculty development (i.e. surveying lower rated faculty and comparing with higher performers).