Successful Integration of Blinded Interviews for Resident Selection: Applicant and Faculty Perspective.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate interviewer and interviewee perceptions of semiblinded interviews performed during 2021-2022 and 2022-2023 urology matches at our institution. Traditional interviews, where interviewers have access to the entire application, are open to significant bias. Blinded interviews are common in industry but under explored in resident selection. METHODS: Interviewers had access to a limited portion of the application (personal statement and letters of recommendation). Applicants were ranked by faculty based solely on their interview and these documents. Following the interview, a survey was given to applicants and faculty regarding their experience. RESULTS: A total of 67 applicants and 10 faculty responded to the questionnaire. Among applicants, 51% felt that blinding of interviewers offered a better assessment of fit into our program (39% neutral), while 37% felt they had improved eye contact with the interviewer (51% neutral) and that interviewers had improved (66%) or similar (19%) knowledge of their application in relation to nonblinded interviews. All but one faculty member felt able to accurately assess a candidate with the information provided, and 80% felt that the blinded interview allowed them to focus more on the applicant during the interview (20% neutral). CONCLUSION: Semiblinded interviews allow for accurate assessment of applicants and decrease bias in the interview process. Overall applicants and faculty were highly receptive to blinded interviews. Reducing the amount of information available to the interviewer allowed them to spend more time on the materials provided, leading to both improved eye contact and improved engagement between participants.

Implementation of electronic messaging protocol for pediatric urology preoperative scheduling: A pilot study.

INTRODUCTION: Preparing patients for surgery is a task healthcare organizations strive to optimize. Electronic messaging (EM) provides an opportunity for streamlining components of this arduous process. Our study aims to evaluate our early experience in utilizing EM to provide preoperative information to pediatric urology patients. OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of EM in preparing patients for pediatric urologic surgery. STUDY DESIGN: This study compared a 6-week pilot program of EM (Figure 1) with traditional nurse phone calls (NPC) in preoperative instruction of pediatric urology patients. The same preoperative instructional information was provided via either source. Data collected included time and resources used by the healthcare system and patient/parent satisfaction. RESULTS: The EM group included 98 patients, while the NPC group included 212 patients. Case cancellation rate between the two cohorts was similar, with a 6.67% cancellation rate in the EM cohort and a 10.55% cancellation rate in the NPC cohort (z = -1.137, p = 0.25). There were 4 EM-related operating room delays with an average case delay of 31.5 min (5-60 min). Twenty-four (24%) EM patients/families required secondary phone calls, while 106 (50%) NPC required a follow up phone call (p < 0.01). 94% of EM participants recommended EM for future perioperative instructions. Accounting for the average case volume within our entire children's hospital, the average total daily cost for EM is $5.96/day, as compared to an average total cost of $87.78/day to perform NPC. This represents an estimated cost savings of $81.82 per day or $21,273.20 per year, based upon average total case volume at our institution. DISCUSSION: In our initial experience, EM effectively communicates the necessary preoperative information to patients and/or families undergoing pediatric urology surgery. Our results demonstrate low case cancellation and delay rates and high patient/family satisfaction. Also demonstrated was the cost savings by replacing the NPC with EM. A great benefit of EM was the increased time it provided for nurses to perform other patient care duties, which is important given our current nationwide nursing shortage. Limitations of the study included a narrow scope assessing only pediatric urology patients as well as a short study period. Further studies will further define and refine the role of perioperative EM. CONCLUSION: Changing to an EM system for preoperative instructions in the pediatric urology population met with a high degree of patient satisfaction and decreased costs for healthcare systems without increasing case delay or cancellation rates.

Annular Pancreas in Adults: Case Report and Literature Review.

Annular pancreas is an uncommon congenital cause of gastric outlet obstruction. The incidence is usually referenced at between five and 15 per 100,000 based on autopsy series. When present, this rare condition surfaces with symptoms in the pediatric population during the first few months of life. An adult presenting with symptoms of gastric outlet obstruction due to annular pancreas is an unusual incident. This case describes gastric outlet obstruction due to a partial annular pancreatic band in an otherwise healthy 32-year-old male. Given the scarcity of this pathological process in adults; no specific guidelines exist about the management of this condition. Continued reporting of this pathology is essential for development of such guidelines. Literature review, embryology and treatment options will be discussed.