5 What is the ACGME? Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education When was it established? 19811 What is its purpose? 1. To evaluate and accredit medical residency programs in the U.S. 2. To improve health care by assessing and advancing resident physicians’ education Who composes its board of directors? 27 members: three public directors, 20 appointees, two residents, chair of the residency review committee, one nonvoting federal government employee What is an RRC? Why are they important? Residency review committee. The committees are important in establishing which programs get accreditation and which do not. How many RRCs work with ACGME? There are 28 RRCs composed of six to 15 volunteer physicians: 26 specialty, one transitional, and one institutional. How do ACGME and RRCs work together to establish the specialty programs’ guidelines? ACGME sets common program requirements and the RRCs augment these with additional specialty-specific guidelines. How is “program compliance” measured? By periodic reviews of all programs: 1. RRCs review nearly half of all programs/year. 2. Many involve a site visit, on average every 3.7 years. 3. Others are based on documents sent to ACGME. What is a site visit? A formal periodic on-site inspection conducted by field staff member or specialist site visitor (SSV). Is the site visitor a decision maker in the approval of the program? No. He/She is merely a “fact-finder.” How should your program prepare for a site visit? By preparing a PIF document (Program Information Form). This serves as a report for the site visitor to conduct the on-site inspection and interviews. Do I need to contribute to the PIF? Yes, by providing an up-to-date copy of your resume. How seriously should a site visit be taken? Very. Your program’s accreditation (and therefore your future) may depend on it. How should you behave during the interview? It is probably best to be neutral and honest. What is the SSV looking for? A comparison between the PIF data and the information collected during the on-site review of the program In essence, what does that mean? Congruence between written facts and real facts Is that the best time to solve problems within a program? The best time is on a weekly basis, during your program’s ACGME meetings and conversations with your program director and program chairman. Is the interview long/short/individual/group-based? It depends on the SSV’s choice. Be prepared for all variations. Should I be truthful about our compliance? Yes, on a daily basis. If problems exist and persist despite efforts to correct them, they should be mentioned and corrected well prior to the on-site review. How long does it take to know the results of the site review? It may take up to 6 months. What is the outcome of a program’s on-site review? One of the following: Approved Deficiencies listed Warning Probation Suspension of accreditation What is the current hour allowance for neurosurgery residents? 80 hours/week in most programs. Some programs have 88 hours/week in specific circumstances granted on an individual educational rationale provided by the program.1 What is the 10-hour rule? 10 hours should exist between shifts. However, 8 hours is a MUST. How many hours can a PGY-1 work continuously during in-house duty? 16 hours1 Are they allowed to take home-call? No Can they stay for an additional 4 hours after that? No, they can’t, according to new guidelines. The 4-hour extension applies to PGY-2 and above.1 Can you admit new patients after 24 hours? No. The extra 4 hours should be used for continuity of care, that is, ensuring things get done/organized following rounds, participating in clinic activities or educational meetings.1 How many hours can pgy2 and above work continuously during in-house duty? 24 hours How long should their periods off until the next shift be?
ACGME
5.1 ACGME Basics
5.2 ACGME Hour Regulations for U.S. NSGY Residents
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