Background:
The ACGME duty hour regulations represent the largest effort to reduce errors in teaching hospitals. Little is known about residents' perspectives on the effects of these regulations on medical errors, quality of care, or residency experiences.
Method:
In 2005, a survey of 200 residents who trained both before and after work hour reform was conducted at six residency programs (three internal medicine, three general surgery) at five academic medical centers in the United States. Residents' attitudes about the effects of the ACGME duty hour regulations on the quality of patient care, residency education, and quality of life were measured using a survey instrument containing nineteen Likert scale questions graded on a scale of 1 to 5.
Summary of Results:
The survey response rate was 80%. Residents report that while fatigue‐related errors decreased slightly, errors relating to reduced continuity of care significantly increased. Residents reported that duty hour regulations decreased opportunities for formal education, bedside learning, and procedures to a small degree, but there was no consensus that graduates of programs post‐duty hour reform would be less well trained. Residents, particularly surgical trainees, reported improvements in quality of life and reductions in burnout.
Statement of Conclusions:
Duty hour regulations have improved quality of life for residents. However, the quality of patient care and residency education has decreased according to many residents who trained both before and after work hour reform. Residents in medicine and surgery had similar opinions about the effects of duty hour reform.
Author Disclosure Block:
J.S. Myers, None; L.M. Bellini, None; J. Morris, None; D. Graham, None; J. Katz, None; J.R. Potts, None; C. Wiener, None; K.G. Volpp, MD PhD, None.