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Educate residents about JCAHO standards

Residency Program Connection, October 4, 2004

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Dear residency program colleague:

Gone are the days that residents and physicians were left to carry out their daily tasks while the rest of the organization scurried to answer Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) surveyor's questions, present documents for review, and hope for a passing score. Residents and physicians are now part of the survey process. 

As associate members of the medical staff, residents at Duke University Medical Center (DUMC) are subject to the medical staff's bylaws and policies. Therefore, they are also required to comply with applicable JCAHO standards. To prepare residents for JCAHO survey, DUMC implemented creative educational strategies, including the creation of a weekly newsletter focused on key JCAHO concepts-the JCAHO's new survey methodology, the accreditor's prohibited abbreviations list, and policies regarding restraints and verbal orders. 

DUMC's graduate medical education team distributed the newsletter to all residents along with a 10 question "quiz" based on the newsletter's content. The newsletter was designed to present the information clearly and concisely with the aim of taking only 10 to 15 minutes of the residents' time to read and complete the quiz. Residents who correctly answered all quiz questions and returned it by the deadline were eligible for a prize. Prizes included Duke basketball tickets-a sought after reward.

This simple tool successfully got the word out to our residents about their role and responsibility as members of our medical staff. Although JCAHO accreditation information can be dry, the residents readily participated in the voluntary competition. DUMC received many positive comments and heard of residents challenging one another. We even had residents emailing us to inquire why their answer was wrong.  

You can also employ this tool to teach residents the ACGME's core competencies, especially systems-based practice, problem-based learning and improvement, interpersonal and communication skills, and professionalism.

That's all for this week!

All the best,  

Kathryn Andolsek, MD, MPH
Associate Director, Graduate Medical Education
Interim Associate Dean, Continuing Medical Education
Duke University Medical Center  

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