Teaching during Consults: Effects of Multiple Educational Interventions on Satisfaction with Consultant Interactions among Internal Medicine Residents.

Abstract

To evaluate the effect of an educational intervention on Internal Medicine residents' satisfaction with the inpatient consultation process. We hosted an optional workshop for Internal Medicine residents on placing and responding to consults using two memory aid tools. We then provided copies of these memory aids to residents on inpatient Medicine and Infectious Diseases teams, and later surveyed all of the residents who were finishing their inpatient Medicine rotation. Surveys assessed residents' participation in the workshop, receipt of the memory-aid tools, and satisfaction with Infectious Diseases consultation using a 5-point Likert scale. Residents were organized into the following groups: group 1 residents were exposed to the workshop and both memory aid tools; group 2 residents were exposed only to the "responding to consults" memory aid tool; group 3 residents were exposed to the workshop and the "placing consults" memory aid tool; and group 4 residents were not exposed to any interventions. We compared the percentage of satisfied residents among groups. A total of 36 out of 69 residents answered our survey (response rate of 52%). Among survey respondents, 7 (19.4%) were in group 1, 8 (22.2%) in group 2, 10 (27.8%) in group 3, and 11 (30.6%) in group 4. Group 4 residents had lower satisfaction with the overall consultation process (36.4% residents satisfied vs 90%-100% in the intervention groups, P < 0.001), the consultant's professionalism (54.5% vs 100%, P = 0.002), communication between the primary team and the consultant (54.5% vs 90%-100%, P = 0.01), and teaching received from the consultant (18.2% vs 57.1%-80.0%, P = 0.02). An educational workshop and use of structured memory aids can lead to improved resident satisfaction with the consultation process.