Longitudinal qualitative study of paired mentor-mentee perspectives on the abstract submission process.

BACKGROUND: Submitting research abstracts to scientific societies is expected in academic medicine and requires dedicated time and effort. The authors queried mentors and mentees to ascertain what topics and proposed strategies should be included in a new curriculum to enhance the abstract submission process. METHODS: Between May 2019 and March 2020, the authors enrolled 14 senior-rank mentors from diverse disciplines at a tertiary musculoskeletal center and their 14-paired mentees (mostly residents and fellows) into a several-component qualitative study consisting of in-depth interviews several months before abstract submission addressing prior experiences, and longitudinal follow-up interviews 1 month before, 1 week before, and 1 week after submission to uncover challenges faced during the actual process and strategies that were effective in overcoming these challenges. Additional contacts occurred through November 2020 to ascertain outcomes of submissions. Mentors and mentees were unaware of each other's responses. Responses were grouped into categories using grounded theory and a comparative analytic strategy. RESULTS: At enrollment participants recounted details from prior abstracts that included experiences with the submission process such as format, content, and online requirements, and experiences with interpersonal interactions such as managing coinvestigators' competing priories and consulting with statisticians in a timely manner. Benefits of submitting abstracts included advancing mentees' careers and increasing research methodology rigor. Challenges encountered during the submission process included meeting deadlines before all data were acquired, time away from other responsibilities, and uncertainty about handling changing conclusions as more data accrued. Delayed feedback from coinvestigators and broadening the scope or changing the focus of the abstract compounded the time crunch to meet the submission deadline. At the time of abstract submission mentor-mentee pairs agreed that major challenges were dealing with collaborators, incomplete data/limited results, and different work styles. The authors developed a proposal for a comprehensive curriculum to include organizational, technical and interpersonal topics. CONCLUSIONS: This longitudinal qualitative study involving mentor-mentee pairs revealed multiple benefits and challenges associated with submitting research abstracts. These findings provide the foundation for a comprehensive curriculum to enhance this recurring labor-intensive undertaking and cornerstone of academic medicine.

Sharing Clinical Notes while Protecting Adolescent Confidentiality and Maintaining Parental Insight.

BACKGROUND: The 21st Century Cures Act mandates sharing electronic health records (EHRs) with patients. Health care providers must ensure confidential sharing of medical information with adolescents while maintaining parental insight into adolescent health. Given variability in state laws, provider opinions, EHR systems, and technological limitations, consensus on best practices to achieve adolescent clinical note sharing at scale is needed. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to identify an effective intervention process to implement adolescent clinical note sharing, including ensuring adolescent portal account registration accuracy, across a large multihospital health care system comprising inpatient, emergency, and ambulatory settings. METHODS: A query was built to assess portal account registration accuracy. At a large multihospital health care system, 80.0% of 12- to 17-year-old patient portal accounts were classified as inaccurately registered (IR) under a parent or registration accuracy unknown (RAU). To increase accurately registered (AR) accounts, the following interventions were pursued: (1) distribution of standardized portal enrollment training; (2) patient outreach email campaign to reregister 29,599 portal accounts; (3) restriction of access to remaining IR and RAU accounts. Proxy portal configurations were also optimized. Subsequently, adolescent clinical note sharing was implemented. RESULTS: Distribution of standardized training materials decreased IR and increased AR accounts (p = 0.0492 and 0.0058, respectively). Our email campaign (response rate: 26.8%) was most effective in decreasing IR and RAU accounts and increasing AR accounts (p < 0.002 for all categories). Remaining IR and RAU accounts, 54.6% of adolescent portal accounts, were subsequently restricted. Postrestriction, IR accounts continued declining significantly (p = 0.0056). Proxy portal enhancements with interventions deployed increased proxy portal account adoption. CONCLUSION: A multistep intervention process can be utilized to effectively implement adolescent clinical note sharing at a large scale across care settings. Improvements to EHR technology, portal enrollment training, adolescent/proxy portal settings, detection, and automation in reenrollment of inaccurate portal accounts are needed to maintain integrity of adolescent portal access.

Agreement of iCare IC200 tonometry with Perkins applanation tonometry in healthy children.

PURPOSE: To assess interdevice agreement between the iCare IC200 rebound tonometer and Perkins applanation tonometry (gold standard) in a healthy pediatric population. METHODS: A total of 42 eyes of 42 healthy children were assessed using both tonometers. Data was collected on subject's age, sex, best-corrected visual acuity, and central corneal thickness (CCT). Intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman analyses were used to determine agreement between IC200 and Perkins applanation tonometers. Linear regression analyzed the effects of intraocular pressure (IOP) on device difference. RESULTS: The mean age and standard deviation of healthy pediatric subjects was 10.0 ± 3.3 years. The mean difference between IC200 and Perkins tonometers (IC200-Perkins) was 0.72 mm Hg, with a mean of 17.1 ± 3.0 mm Hg and 16.4 ± 2.5 mm Hg, respectively. The absolute agreement, or ICC, between tonometers was 0.63 (95% CI, 0.56-0.70). Bland-Altman analysis showed 95% limits of agreement ranging from -5.2 to +6.6 mm Hg. CCT was not correlated with IOP for either the IC200 (P = 0.35) or the Perkins tonometer (P = 0.052). CONCLUSIONS: Compared to applanation tonometry, IC200 overestimated IOP in healthy children, with a greater frequency of readings > +2 mm Hg than < -2 mm Hg compared to Perkins. There was moderate agreement between tonometers. CCT was not found to influence IOP measurement for either tonometer.

Caution Before Embracing Team Mentoring in Academic Medical Research Training: Recommendations from a Qualitative Study.

Background: Multidisciplinary team mentoring increasingly is being advocated for biomedical research training. Before implementing a curriculum that could include team mentoring, we asked faculty about their opinions of this mentoring approach. Questions/Purposes: The goals of this study were to ask faculty about the benefits, challenges, and drawbacks of team mentoring in research training. Methods: Twenty-two experienced mentors representing all academic departments at a single institution were interviewed about perceived benefits, drawbacks, and their willingness to participate in team mentoring. Responses were analyzed with qualitative techniques using grounded theory and a comparative analytic strategy. Results: Faculty noted academic pursuits in medicine usually occur within, and not across, specialties; thus, multidisciplinary team mentoring would require coordinating diverse work schedules, additional meetings, and greater time commitments. Other challenges included ensuring breadth of expertise without redundancy, skillfully managing group dynamics, and ensuring there is one decision-maker. Potential drawbacks for mentees included reluctance to voice preferences and forge unique paths, perceived necessity to simultaneously please many mentors, and less likelihood of establishing a professional bond with any particular mentor. Conclusions: Faculty recommended caution before embracing team mentoring models. An acceptable alternative might be a hybrid model with a primary mentor at the helm and a selected group of co-mentors committed to a multidisciplinary effort. This model requires training and professional development for primary mentors.

Leveraging implementation science to prevent and reduce musculoskeletal overuse injury in musicians: A proposal for the study of a conceptual framework.

BACKGROUND: Musician health and wellness, a fundamental requirement for safe, effective and optimal musical performance, is not guaranteed. Performance related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMD) affect between 60% and 90% of all musicians, and have serious consequences on musculoskeletal health, performance ability and the overall healthcare burden of musculoskeletal injury. The high prevalence of PRMD in musicians can be prevented and reduced via health-education programs designed to address risk factors and practice habits. Multiple studies demonstrate the efficacy of education and instructional exercises in reducing PRMD symptoms in musicians. Despite the awareness of risk and the substantial consequence of non-adherence, implementation of health-education programs is complex and challenging and is rarely offered in music institutions. For successful adoption of musculoskeletal health programs, it is important to identify system level barriers and facilitators and it is important to develop and pilot effective strategies to guide successful implementation of musculoskeletal health programs for musicians. PURPOSE: This paper proposes a conceptual framework using implementation science methodology to study the factors that influence adoption of musician health education programs to prevent performance related injury. The overall goal of this methodology is to identify determinants of implementation by engaging key stakeholders, developing strategies for adoption of injury prevention programs and generate hypotheses for future studies. METHODS: The research plan is designed to accomplish the specific aims of this study. Through a mixed-method study we will use qualitative and quantitative methods to address potential barriers, and design and test implementation feasibility of health-education programs for musicians. RESULTS/CONCLUSIONS: Our findings will inform the development of a large-scale participant randomized hybrid trial to assess effectiveness and implementation outcomes of health education programs and ultimately reduce injury and promote musculoskeletal longevity and performance in musicians.

Shift to Virtual Self-Management Programs During COVID-19: Ensuring Access and Efficacy for Older Adults.

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic resulted in significant uncertainty and disruption to many aspects of daily living, including physical activity, socialization opportunities, and access to healthcare services. Under these conditions, at-risk older adults are even more likely to be inactive and isolated, leading to potential exacerbation of musculoskeletal and chronic conditions and emotional distress. This case study provides an overview of our experience and best practices developed during our shift from onsite programming to virtual. Methodology: HSS utilized varied online approaches, including phone/video conference classes, webinars, on-demand videos and email campaigns to successfully transition programs. Due to this shift, HSS changed its evaluation to an online approach, using a mixed method to adequately assess the impact of programs. Results: Between April and August 2020, our virtual programs reached 428,766 participants, resulting in a 10,807% increase in program reach. Most participants assessed were 60 years or older (72%) and reported knowledge (85%) and self-management skills (83%) gained as well as high program satisfaction (90%). Analyses of program data did not show any statistical significant difference in self-reported health outcomes. However, qualitative results showed virtual programming helped to foster social connectivity during COVID-19, helped to build a daily routine, and positively impacted mental and physical health. Conclusion: Shifting to virtual programming in the face of the pandemic enabled us to deliver effective programs affording our community the opportunity to stay physically active and socially connected despite the quarantine orders.

Translating the REACH OUT dementia caregiver intervention into a primary care setting: a pilot study.

OBJECTIVE: The current study translated the Resources for Enhancing Alzheimer's Caregiver Health: Offering Useful Treatments (REACH OUT), a skills-building stress and burden intervention, for the primary care setting and pilot the resulting intervention. METHODS: The 16-week intervention consisted of a combination of clinic-based group and one-on-one sessions offered within a medical home, geriatrics clinic. A quasi-experimental pre- and post-test study design without a control group tested the resulting intervention. Semi-structured qualitative exit interviews evaluated program satisfaction. RESULTS: Twenty-five caregivers participated in one of four intervention groups; 21 caregivers completed the intervention (attended at least five of six group sessions). Caregiver burden on standardized assessments was significantly reduced between pre- and post-intervention, specifically for physical/emotional strain and caregiving uncertainty. Significant reductions were found in the frequency of reported disruptive behaviors; increased caregiver confidence in handling behavior problem frequency, depressive symptoms, disruptive behaviors, and memory-related problems; and decreased bother with respect to behavioral problem frequency and care recipient depression. Program satisfaction was high. CONCLUSION: This work suggests that the REACH OUT program can be successfully modified for use within a primary-care medical home setting.

The Value of Supporting Education Research in the Academic Environment: The Hospital for Special Surgery Academy of Rheumatology Medical Educators.

PROBLEM: Medical education academies have been instrumental in providing greater recognition of and promotion for clinician-educators. However, producing education scholarship is essential for clinician-scholar-educator career advancement. Grant funding for education research and protected time to produce scholarship are still lacking for interested physicians, in part due to institutional budget constraints and competing priorities. APPROACH: The Hospital for Special Surgery Academy of Rheumatology Medical Educators was founded in 2011 to promote education scholarship through grants awarded to educators interested in research. Educators were asked to submit proposals aimed at the development of new teaching programs and curricular change. Selected applicants received up to $50,000 per year for one year. Grant money was obtained through directed fundraising from donors. Information from annual grant updates and survey responses from grant recipients in 2017 were used to assess the academy's effectiveness. OUTCOMES: Since 2012, 32 grants have been awarded, totaling $954,045 in funding. Recipients have produced national meeting abstracts, posters, oral presentations, and manuscripts and created unique curricula and electronic learning tools for medical students, residents, fellows, faculty, and patients. Four educators with demonstrated interest and research outcomes were identified during the pilot and received additional funding and support from a dedicated education research assistant. NEXT STEPS: The academy and the innovations grants program highlight the talents of under-supported and under-recognized teaching faculty by allowing them to distinguish themselves academically as clinician-scholar-educators. The success of these educators emphasizes the clear advantages of a formalized structure to achieve the hospital's education goals. Next steps include providing support for a rheumatology fellow to develop an education research career rather than one in bench, clinical, or translational research.

Strabismus After Ahmed Glaucoma Valve Implantation.

PURPOSE: Most reports of strabismus after glaucoma drainage device implantation study larger devices and rarely note the incidence of strabismus after Ahmed glaucoma valve (AGV) implantation. It is unknown if the pattern of strabismus is similar with smaller devices. We investigated characteristics of strabismus after AGV implantation. DESIGN: Retrospective review. METHODS: Institutional study of 732 patients at our institution undergoing AGV implantation between 2013 and 2018. Rate and characteristics of strabismus were the primary outcome; age, gender, and location of AGVs were also analyzed. RESULTS: We identified 29 patients who developed new-onset strabismus postoperatively after initial AGV implantation, for 4% incidence of strabismus. Twenty-one (72%) of these had diplopia. AGVs were implanted superotemporally in 21, superonasally in 5, inferotemporally in 1, and inferonasally in 2. Three patients were esotropic, 11 were exotropic, 4 had hypertropia, 2 had hypotropia, and 9 patients had combined horizontal/vertical strabismus (esotropia/hypotropia [n = 1] or exotropia/hypertropias [n = 8]). Exotropia was the most common type of strabismus in both the superotemporal and superonasal (60%) AGV groups. Superotemporal AGVs were more commonly associated with ipsilateral hypertropia (43%) than superonasal AGVs. Treatments included strabismus surgery (n = 14), prisms (n = 6), or an occlusive lens (n = 1). DISCUSSION: In the largest single-center series of patients undergoing initial AGV implantation, the overall incidence of postoperative strabismus was 4%. This is comparable to strabismus incidence following implantation of other types of glaucoma drainage devices, even larger devices. The possibility of this complication should be discussed with patients prior to surgery.

Modified Anterior Superior Oblique Tuck: A Case Series.

PURPOSE: Selection of the ideal procedure to correct symptomatic excyclotropia depends on several factors including the degree of torsion and associated vertical, horizontal and pattern deviation. Selective tuck of the anterior temporal torsional fibers of the superior oblique (SO) tendon is an alternative procedure to the classical Harada-Ito. The purpose of this study is to report its stability and results. METHODS: Retrospective review of all consecutive patients with symptomatic excyclotorsion of at least 5º (degrees) treated by selectively splitting and tucking the anterior temporal fibers of the SO tendon. Torsion in primary position was measured using the double Maddox Rods. Patients with additional symptomatic vertical or horizontal diplopia underwent simultaneous surgery on other extraocular muscles. RESULTS: Five patients were studied. Mean age was 60 ± 8 years (47-67). Mean postoperative follow-up was 10 ± 8 months (3-21). The mean preoperative torsion of 11º±4º (7º-15º) significantly decreased to 3º±2º (p = .03) at the first postoperative visit (16 ± 9 days) and 3 ± 2º during the last visit (P = .03). The procedure corrected 1.4º±0.9º per mm of tuck. Postoperatively no patient complained of torsion. No undesirable vertical or horizontal deviations were noted. CONCLUSION: This technique is a simple alternative to manage symptomatic excyclotorsion, with significant and stable relief of moderate amounts of torsion and without inducing unexpected vertical or horizontal deviation.

Prevalence of Sagging Eye Syndrome in Adults with Binocular Diplopia.

PURPOSE: Sagging eye syndrome (SES), horizontal and/or vertical strabismus caused by orbital connective tissue degeneration, was first defined 10 years ago. This study investigated SES and other causes of acquired binocular diplopia in adults presenting to a single institution since the description of SES. DESIGN: Retrospective observational case series. METHODS: Medical records were reviewed of all new patients over the age of 40 who presented to the Stein Eye Institute with binocular diplopia between January 2015 and December 2018. Clinical causes of diplopia were tabulated in patients grouped by age and sex. In patients with SES, we tabulated binocular alignment, types of treatment, and surgical outcomes. RESULTS: There were 945 patients of mean age 66.5 years, of whom 514 (54.4%) were female. The most common cause of diplopia was SES (31.4%). The 297 patients with SES were older at 71.2 years (P < 0.0001) and more predominantly female at 59.9% than other patients (52.0%; P = 0.023). The relative proportion of SES patients among all diplopic patients increased with age from 4.7% under age 50 years to 60.9% over the age of 90. Age-related distance esotropia was present in 35% and cyclovertical strabismus in 65% of cases of SES. Strabismus surgery was performed in 50% of cases of SES. Mean esotropia at distance decreased from 6.9 ± 0.7Δ preoperatively to 0.3 ± 0.3Δ postoperatively. Preoperative hypertropia decreased from 3.0 ± 0.3Δ to 0.7 ± 0.2Δ postoperatively. Surgery resolved diplopia in all cases. CONCLUSIONS: It is important to recognize that SES is a very common cause of adult binocular diplopia.

Patient Perspectives of High-Quality Care on the Liver Transplant Waiting List: A Qualitative Study.

The prevalence of advanced liver disease and listing for liver transplantation is increasing. Prior assessments of quality of care neither incorporate nor emphasize the patient perspective on quality of care, which may impact clinical outcomes. Our aim was to identify patients' perceptions on what constitutes high quality of care, comparing the findings to existing frameworks and assessments to determine if a patient-derived tool assessing quality of care could facilitate efforts to improve health care. We conducted semistructured interviews of patients wait-listed for liver transplantation, asking patients to describe the quality of their health care with a specific focus on how coordination, communication, office visits, hospitalizations, and cost affect their perceptions of the quality of their care. Data collection conducted concurrently with analyses determined emerging themes and saturation. Themes were mapped to an existing quality-of-care conceptual framework. Qualitative analysis revealed thematic saturation after 15 interviews, and an additional 15 interviews were analyzed that confirmed thematic saturation, maximizing the strength of the results. The 30 patients had a median age of 56 years (range, 32-72 years) and included 15 (50%) men. Although patients believed they received a high quality of care, which was substantiated on current existing measures, a qualitative analysis suggested that patient priorities emphasized 5 themes not currently assessed: managing expectations, providing education, responding to patient needs, executing the care plan efficiently, and utilizing interdisciplinary communication and coordination of care. In conclusion, transplant candidates perceived 5 themes that constitute quality of care, and existing quality-of-care measures do not assess these domains, suggesting a role for creating a patient-derived quality-of-care tool to improve health care and clinical outcomes.

What Mentors Tell Us About Acknowledging Effort and Sustaining Academic Research Mentoring: A Qualitative Study.

INTRODUCTION: Continuing education is necessary to foster new and effective research mentoring skills. We asked faculty about their research mentoring practices and what would support their skills and abilities as ongoing and effective research mentors. METHODS: Twenty-two experienced mentors were interviewed and asked about perceived areas for improvement, and challenges and facilitators to continued research mentoring. Responses were analyzed with qualitative techniques using semistructured interviews, grounded theory, and a constant comparative analytic strategy. RESULTS: The average time since the completion of the doctoral degree was 26 years. Twenty-one participants believed that more comprehensive institutional acknowledgment for their efforts would enhance research mentoring. This specifically included acknowledging their time spent and service (ie, effort) in multiple in-person and behind-the-scenes tasks. These research mentoring efforts were largely viewed as overlooked by the traditional focus on the achievement of tangible outcomes. Participants thought that a formal plan to organize research mentoring (such as a mentor's charter, and continuing education tailored to both novice and experienced research mentors) was needed to promote evolution of skills and documentation of time and service. Possible methods to support research mentors were suggested and included financial support for travel to national meetings, assistance in developing new projects, and consideration of mentoring activities in the process for academic promotion. DISCUSSION: Research mentors wanted their achievements, time spent, and service (ie, effort) to be acknowledged by the institution. A formal written mentoring charter and corresponding continuing education could facilitate acknowledging achievements, time, and service and thus help to sustain academic research mentoring.

"It's Like They Forget That the Word 'Health' Is in 'Home Health Aide'": Understanding the Perspectives of Home Care Workers Who Care for Adults With Heart Failure.

Background Home care workers ( HCW s) increasingly provide long-term and posthospitalization care for community-dwelling adults with heart failure ( HF ). They observe, assist, and advise these patients, yet few studies have examined their role in HF . As the foundation for future interventions, we sought to understand the perspectives of HCW s caring for adults with HF . Methods and Results We conducted 8 focus groups in partnership with the Home Care Industry Education Fund, a benefit fund of the 1199 Service Employees International Union United Healthcare Workers East, the largest healthcare union in the United States. English- and Spanish-speaking HCW s with HF clients were eligible to participate. Data were analyzed thematically. Forty-six HCW s employed by 21 unique home care agencies participated. General and HF -specific themes emerged. Generally, HCW s (1) feel overworked and undervalued; (2) find communication and care to be fragmented; (3) are dedicated to clients and families but are caught in the middle; and, despite this, (4) love their job. With respect to HF , HCW s (1) find it frightening and unpredictable; (2) are involved in HF self-care without any HF training; and (3) find the care plan problematic. Conclusions Although frequently involved in HF self-care, most HCW s have not received HF training. In addition, many felt poorly supported by other healthcare providers and the care plan, especially when their clients' symptoms worsened. Interventions that provide HF -specific training and aim to improve communication between members of the home health care team may enhance HCW s' ability to care for adults with HF and potentially lead to better patient outcomes.

Let's talk numbers: a qualitative study of community-dwelling US adults to understand the role of numeracy in the management of heart failure.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the perspectives of adults with heart failure (HF) about numerical concepts integral to HF self-care. SETTING: This qualitative study took place at an urban academic primary care practice. PARTICIPANTS: Thirty men and women aged 47-89 years with a history of HF were recruited to participate. Eligibility criteria included: a history of HF (≥1 year), seen at the clinic within the last year, and a HF hospitalisation within the last 6 months. Non-English speakers and those with severe cognitive impairment were excluded. METHODS: In-depth semistructured interviews were conducted. Participants were interviewed about numeracy across three domains of HF self-care: (1) monitoring weight,(2) maintaining a diet low in salt and (3) monitoring blood pressure. Interviews were audio-taped, transcribed verbatim and analysed using grounded theory and word cloud techniques. RESULTS: Five key themes reflecting participants' attitudes towards numerical concepts pertaining to weight, diet and blood pressure were identified: (1) Communication between healthcare providers and patients is a complex, multistage process; (2) Patients possess a wide range of knowledge and understanding; (3) Social and caregiver support is critical for the application of numerical concepts; (4) Prior health experiences shape outlook towards numerical concepts and instructions and (5) Fear serves as a barrier and a facilitator to carrying out HF self-care tasks that involve numbers. The findings informed a theoretical framework of health numeracy in HF. CONCLUSION: Effective communication of numerical concepts which pertain to HF self-care is highly variable. Many patients with HF lack basic understanding and numeracy skills required for adequate self-care. As such, patients rely on caregivers who may lack HF training. HF-specific training of caregivers and research that seeks to elucidate the intricacies of the patient-caregiver relationship in the context of health numeracy and HF self-care are warranted.

Communication Skills Training for Surgical Residents: Learning to Relate to the Needs of Older Adults.

BACKGROUND: It is vital for physicians and surgeons to communicate successfully with older adults, who will constitute one-fifth of the US population by 2030. Older adults often perceive themselves as stigmatized and powerless in healthcare settings. Effective communication leads to better patient compliance and satisfaction, which is now a component of Medicare hospital reimbursement and physician and surgeon compensation from hospitals and networks. OBJECTIVE: To increase orthopaedic surgery resident understanding of the unique needs of older adults in order to maintain effective and sensitive communication with this vulnerable population. DESIGN: A two-part training program (ongoing for 8 years) comprised of: 1) small-group interactive didactic sessions on aging issues; and 2) workshop demonstrations given by the residents to a group of older adults, followed by a Question & Answer session. Residents were assessed using a 22-item pre-post questionnaire covering medical knowledge of aging, attitudes toward older adults, and personal anxiety about aging. Older adult participants were surveyed for perceptions of residents' sensitivity toward them. SETTING: Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, a specialized urban academic center, with a 5-year Orthopedic Surgery Residency program. PARTICIPANTS: 70 PGY3 residents, for whom the program is a requirement, and 711 older adult participants recruited from a community convenience sample. RESULTS: Older adult participants: Of 711 participants, 672 (95%) responded; 96% strongly agreed/agreed that the residents had demonstrated sensitivity toward them. Residents: Of 70 residents, 35 (50%) were assessed. Mean knowledge scores increased significantly (p ≤ 0.001); five of nine attitude items (p ≤ 0.05) and one of four anxiety items improved significantly (p ≤ 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Significant change was seen in residents' attitudes and anxiety levels toward older adults, attributes that are usually deep seated and hard to change. Residents moved along the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education Milestones continuum for three core competencies.

Peers without fears? Barriers to effective communication among primary care physicians and oncologists about diagnostic delays in cancer.

OBJECTIVE: Relatively little attention has been devoted to the role of communication between physicians as a mechanism for individual and organisational learning about diagnostic delays. This study's objective was to elicit physicians' perceptions about and experiences with communication among physicians regarding diagnostic delays in cancer. DESIGN, SETTING, PARTICIPANTS: Qualitative analysis based on seven focus groups. Fifty-one physicians affiliated with three New York-based academic medical centres participated, with six to nine subjects per group. We used content analysis to identify commonalities among primary care physicians and specialists (ie, medical and surgical oncologists). PRIMARY OUTCOME MEASURE: Perceptions and experiences with physician-to-physician communication about delays in cancer diagnosis. RESULTS: Our analysis identified five major themes: openness to communication, benefits of communication, fears about giving and receiving feedback, infrastructure barriers to communication and overcoming barriers to communication. Subjects valued communication about cancer diagnostic delays, but they had many concerns and fears about providing and receiving feedback in practice. Subjects expressed reluctance to communicate if there was insufficient information to attribute responsibility, if it would have no direct benefit or if it would jeopardise their existing relationships. They supported sensitive approaches to conveying information, as they feared eliciting or being subject to feelings of incompetence or shame. Subjects also cited organisational barriers. They offered suggestions that might facilitate communication about delays. CONCLUSIONS: Addressing the barriers to communication among physicians about diagnostic delays is needed to promote a culture of learning across specialties and institutions. Supporting open and honest discussions about diagnostic delays may help build safer health systems.

An Initiative to Standardize the Identification of and Acute Response to Postoperative Lower-Extremity Neurological Deficits: Effects on Provider Knowledge, Confidence, and Communication Skills.

BACKGROUND: Although relatively uncommon, neurological deficits following hip and knee arthroplasty can have permanent and debilitating consequences. This study was conducted to quantify the effectiveness of an educational curriculum aimed at standardizing the identification of and acute response to postoperative neurological deficits in the inpatient setting, specifically with respect to improvements in clinician knowledge, confidence levels, and communication skills. METHODS: A multidisciplinary committee at a single, high-volume academic institution created an algorithm delineating the appropriate clinical actions and escalation procedures in the setting of a postoperative neurological deficit for each clinical practitioner involved in care for patients who undergo arthroplasty. An educational curriculum composed of online learning modules and an in-person "boot camp" featuring simulations with standardized patients was developed, along with assessments of clinician knowledge, confidence levels, and communication skills. Nurses, physical therapists, physician assistants, residents, fellows, and attending surgeons were encouraged to participate. The intervention spanned a 5-month period in 2015 with a mean time of 18.4 weeks between baseline assessments and the time of the latest follow-up. RESULTS: Online modules were completed by 322 individuals, boot camp was completed by 70 individuals, and latest assessments were completed by 38 individuals. The percentage correct on the knowledge assessment increased from 74.5% before the learning modules to 89.5% immediately after (p < 0.001) but degraded over time such that there was no significant difference between baseline and the latest follow-up scores (p = 0.11). Over the course of the boot camp, physician assistants and residents successfully performed approximately 91% of the indicated actions on the scoring rubric; physical therapists and nurses successfully performed 78%. Scores on the communication skills assessment showed a significant mean increase (p = 0.02) over the course of the intervention from 30.32 to 32.50, and the mean self-assessed confidence survey scores increased by 16.7%, from 7.2 to 8.4 (p < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: A multimodality educational curriculum aimed at quality improvement can produce significant knowledge improvements, but these gains may not be maintained over time without further instruction. Gains in confidence and communication skills appear to be more long-lasting.

Perspectives on bullying among children who present to the emergency department with behavioral misconduct: a qualitative study.

UNLABELLED: The problem of bullying is an increasing public health threat encountered by emergency physicians especially in inner city emergency departments (EDs). Bullying may result in emotional disturbances and psychological trauma in children. Many children sent to the ED because of behavioral misconduct require immediate stabilization and treatment. The emergency physician performs an initial assessment and stabilization. Emergency departments are increasingly on the frontline of the bullying problem. OBJECTIVES: Our objective was to explore children's perspective of bullying and their views of potential solutions. METHODS: A qualitative study was conducted in a cohort of 50 children (age, 8-17 years), who were referred to the ED from school because of their behavioral misconduct. An interview survey tool about bullying was administered. It focused on what bullying meant to them and what advice they have for a child who is bullied. They were also asked what advice they would have for adults who try to help. We used grounded theory to analyze the data. Similar concepts were grouped, and the categories with similar properties and dimensions were defined. Common themes were then identified. RESULTS: We interviewed 50 children, of whom 27 were boys and 23 were girls. Their mean (SD) age was 12.5 (2.12) years (range, 8-17 years). Bullying was identified by children as including physical, verbal, and emotional actions. Several themes emerged. First, a power imbalance between a bully and victim may render an individual vulnerable to bullying. Being different and weak also increases the risk of being bullied. Second, bullying is wrong, and the bully should be punished. Third, children should learn how to handle bullying situations and develop resilience against bullying. Finally, adults need to be more proactive to prevent or stop bullying. CONCLUSIONS: Our results provide insights into the perceptions of children regarding bullying. We have garnered a better understanding of what these children feel adults should do to prevent bullying.