Poster1 - 08: FELLOW-LED SICU MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY CONFERENCES ADDRESS PATIENT SAFETY, INTERPROFESSIONAL COOPERATION AND ACGME MILESTONES
Noah Weingarten, MA1, Nabil Issa, MD2, Joseph Posluszny, MD2; 1Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL, 2Department of Surgery, Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, Chicago, IL
Purpose: Morbidity and mortality conferences (MMCs) are patient safety and quality improvement (QI) programs that provide a safe avenue for medical professionals to discuss adverse events, medical errors, and complications arising during patient care. MMCs have been shown to increase participants' knowledge, improve patient safety, spur QI projects, and address ACGME core competencies including practice-based learning and systems-based practice. However, structured MMCs are often absent in surgical critical care (SCC) fellowship programs. We developed a monthly SICU case-based, interdisciplinary, SCC fellow-managed MMC. The objective of the study was to assess fellows’ and participants’ perceptions of the educational value of this program, and how this program impacts the culture of safety and QI in the SICU.
Methods: MMC participants included critical care (CC) attending physicians, fellows, residents, medical students, advanced practice providers, CC nurses, respiratory therapists and pharmacists. Participants completed a post-conference assessment using a Likert scale that quantifies: (1) their confidence in managing cases similar to those that were presented, (2) the degree to which the MMC improved their knowledge and assessment of critically ill patients, and (3) whether they would recommend attending this MMC to a colleague. SCC fellows’ perceptions of the educational value of leading and managing the conference were assessed and mapped to the SCC milestones.
Results: Following each MMC, 92% of participants (n = 52) agree or strongly agree that they are more confident in their patient management skills; 94% agree or strongly agree that the MMC improved their knowledge of critical illness; and 96% agree or strongly agree that they would recommend attending this conference to a colleague. SCC fellows indicated that the program addressed specific milestones included within the six ACGME core competencies and provided them the opportunity to launch two QI projects: one aiming to decrease reintubation rates and another to determine appropriate use of chest CTs evaluating for pulmonary embolism.
Conclusion: Interdisciplinary, fellow-led, case-based MMCs are an effective educational tool for SCC fellowship programs. The program enhances the culture of safety, promotes QI, establishes a collaborative interprofessional environment and satisfies ACGME’s core competencies and milestones for SCC fellows.