The year 2003 marked a sweeping change in American medicine training. Resident work hour reforms limited the number of weekly working hours, consecutive working hours and working days without a break. However, there was concern as to whether shorter shifts would mean decreased continuity of care for the most critically ill patients, leading to increased mortality. However, a recent study has proven otherwise – patient mortality has actually decreased. “This suggests that medical training may not require such brutal hours and sleep deprivation, and that the means to compensate for fewer work hours of residents has not compromised patient care,” says Dr. Meeta Prasad at the Univeristy of Pennsylvania. Full story.
May 23, 2008
Dr. Steven Chang, the author of DailyDose, is a staff physician with Kosmix RightHealth. Dr. Chang practices Family Medicine at the University of California Davis Medical Center, where his medical interests include both pediatric and geriatric care, public health, gay and lesbian health, and sleep medicine. Dr. Chang trained at the Stanford University affiliated O'Connor Hospital, and was a research fellow at the National Institute of Health. He holds an M.D. from McGill University and a BA in Public Health from Johns Hopkins University.