Review of the published literature to characterise clinical excellence in COVID-19 care.

COVID-19 continues to be a major source of global morbidity and mortality. It abruptly stressed healthcare systems early in 2020 and the pressures continue. Devastating hardships have been endured by individuals, families and communities; the losses will be felt for years to come. As healthcare professionals and organisations stepped up to respond to the overwhelming number of cases, it is understandable that the focus has been primarily on coping with the quantity of the demand. During a pandemic, it is not surprising that few papers have drawn attention to the quality of the care delivered to those afflicted with illness. Despite the challenges, clinicians caring for patients with COVID-19 have risen to the occasion. This manuscript highlights aspirational examples from the published literature of thoughtful and superb care of patients with COVID-19 using an established framework for clinical excellence (formulated by the Miller-Coulson Academy of Clinical Excellence).

Narrative Approach to Goals of Care Discussions: Adapting the 3-Act Model Training to an Online Format.

CONTEXT: The three-Act Model, a narrative approach to goals of care (GOC) discussions centered on patients' individual stories, has proven to be effective as measured by objective skill improvement among medical trainees. This study describes the adaptation of the in-person curriculum to a streamlined, online format, in the setting of the Covid19 pandemic. We hypothesized that high levels of skill proficiency and learner satisfaction observed in previous in-person cohorts would be sustained amongst trainees in the online setting. OBJECTIVE: Our primary aim was to assess the skills proficiency of a cohort of internal medicine interns undergoing online training for GOC discussions with the three-Act Model. Our secondary goal was to assess learners' satisfaction with the prerecorded didactic video and online role plays. METHODS: Our team used REDCap for the data collection, and as the user-facing hub for learners to access didactic video content and for submitting surveys. We used Zoom to host synchronous discussions and role-play sessions. Trainers used the previously validated Goals of Care Assessment Tool (GCAT) to objectively rate intern proficiency in two role plays each. RESULTS: Twenty-one internal medicine interns began the training; 20 completed the training and were assessed using the GCAT. All but one intern who completed the training (19 of 20, 95%) achieved proficiency in leading a GOC discussion as measured objectively using the GCAT. Learner satisfaction was high: 1) 100% of respondents recommended the training to others as a "good" (26.7%) or "outstanding" experience (73.3%); 2) 93.3% were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" using a online, distance-learning format for the prerecorded didactic component; 3) 80% were "satisfied" or "very satisfied" using an online, distance-learning format for the role-play component; and 4) 93.3% were content with the number of role plays. The amount of time dedicated to this training decreased compared to prior years when done in person (six hours) - to four hours and 40 minutes for learners and under four hours for trainers. CONCLUSION: After completing the adapted online three-Act Model training, nearly all learners were scored to be proficient in GOC communication skills and reported high satisfaction with the online curriculum. Achieving high quality more efficiently represents genuine educational value. Further, these online teaching results show that the three-Act Model training can be delivered to geographically distanced learners.

"Principles" Guiding Our Medical ICU.

Caring for the critically ill is a humanistic endeavor that requires thoughtful collaboration by a multidisciplinary team. In recent times, patient care in ICUs has become more complex with technological advances in monitoring, diagnostic testing, and therapeutics; many of these advances have translated into improved patient outcomes. In this increasingly complicated system, local culture and goals for the unit can also be overwhelmed by the impersonal and overarching institutional objectives. Developing "ICU specific principles" is a structured approach to cultivate habits and encourage attitudes that are aligned with the values of the team; this can serve to optimize the work environment and prioritize excellent patient care.

COVID-19 Pandemic Response: Development of Outpatient Palliative Care Toolkit Based on Narrative Communication.

CONTEXT: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic laid bare the immediate need for primary palliative care education for many clinicians. Primary care clinicians in our health system reported an urgent need for support in advance care planning and end-of-life symptom management for their vulnerable patients. This article describes the design and dissemination of palliative care education for primary care clinicians using an established curriculum development method. OBJECTIVES: To develop a succinct and practical palliative care toolkit for use by primary care clinicians during the COVID-19 pandemic, focused on 2 key elements: (i) advance care planning communication skills based on the narrative 3-Act Model and (ii) comfort care symptom management at the end of life. RESULTS: The toolkit was finalized through an iterative process involving a team of end-users and experts in palliative care and primary care, including social work, pharmacy, nursing, and medicine. The modules were formatted into an easily navigable, smartphone-friendly document to be used at point of care. The toolkit was disseminated to our institution's primary care network with practices spanning our state. Early feedback has been positive. CONCLUSION: While we had been focused primarily on the inpatient setting, our palliative care team at Johns Hopkins Bayview Medical Center pivoted existing infrastructure and curriculum development expertise to meet the expressed needs of our primary care colleagues during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through collaboration with an interprofessional team including end-users, we designed and disseminated a concise palliative care toolkit within 6 weeks.