The Impact of Resident Duty Hour Reform on Family Medicine Residency Training: Residents' Points of View

Abstract

<p>目的：本研究探討家庭醫學科住院醫師自2019年適用勞動基準法規定後，對工時規範之滿意度、健康影響、學習成效、醫療品質與病人安全層面進行調查，並進一步比較不同訓練職級、不同醫院訓練容額、與不同醫院層級住院醫師在工時規定影響看法上的差異。</p> <p>方法：以2017至2019訓練年度進入家庭醫學專科醫師訓練計畫的住院醫師為對象，以問卷調查工時限制所造成的影響。結果：共有286位家庭醫學住院醫師參與研究，其中有近九成滿意目前工時限制規定，且普遍認為工時限制不會降低訓練品質。其中第一年住院醫師超時的比例較高，較資深住院醫師同意工時規定會減少教學指導與學習體驗的比例較高，但多數還是認為並不影響教學品質。超過半數第一年住院醫師認為醫療錯誤發生率會降低，資深住院醫師則多認為不變。雖然所有醫院層級的住院醫師都認為工作時疲勞情況與嗜睡程度有所改善，但地區與區域級醫院仍有少部分住院醫師認為工作時疲勞及嗜睡程度更明顯。</p> <p>結論：實施工時限制後，大部分家庭醫學科住院醫師滿意目前工時限制規定，認為工時限制不會降低訓練品質，也不需要延長受訓年限。學員普遍認為對於工時限制對住院醫師的身心健康有正向影響，對於病人受到的醫療品質與病人安全則不受影響。</p> <p> </p><p>Objective: The study assessed family medicine residents’ overall satisfaction with the resident duty hour restriction implemented in 2019 and explored their perceptions of the impacts of the restriction on their well-being, education, and patient safety. The study further compared the differences in residents’ perceptions based on the level of residency training, size of residency training program, and level of training hospital.</p> <p>Methods: Residents admitted to the family medicine residency training program by the Taiwan Association of Family Medicine from 2017 to 2019 were selected to participate in this study. A prospective anonymous questionnaire survey was administered to family medicine residents nationwide to gather their opinions and suggestions regarding the newly implemented resident duty hour reform.</p> <p>Results: A total of 286 family medicine residents responded to the questionnaire survey. Nearly 90% of the residents were satisfied with the current duty hour regulations and found the restriction unlikely to compromise the quality of residency training. First-year residents reported a greater frequency of working overtime, compared to residents of other levels. The more senior the residents, the stronger the belief that duty hour restriction reduced time for learning and faculty guidance; however, the majority of the responding residents were of the opinion that the restriction did not affect the overall quality of residence training. Over 50% of the first-year residents felt the restriction helped reduced the likelihood of medical error, while more senior residents found the likelihood unchanged. Regardless of the levels of their training hospitals, a great part of the residents found the problems of fatigue and daytime sleepiness alleviated, yet there was still a minority of residents in regional and district hospitals felt the problems aggravated.</p> <p>Conclusion: After the implementation of duty hour restriction, most family medicine residents are satisfied with the current regulations and feel no significant impact of the restriction on the quality of residency training. In their opinion, there is no need to extend the length of residency training. The duty hour reform does exert positive influences on their physical and mental health and bring about no impact on patients’ safety and quality of care.</p> <p> </p>